Team Lagos has won the 9th National Youth Games (NYG) held in Asaba, finishing at the top of the medals table after nine days of exciting competition.
The Games, which end on Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, lived up to expectations as a platform for discovering future champions. A special Talent Discovery Committee set up by the National Sports Commission (NSC) has already identified several young athletes who could represent Nigeria in the future.
Final Medal Table – Top Six States
As of Friday evening, Team Lagos was clearly in first place with a total of 82 medals, including:
-
40 Gold
-
25 Silver
-
17 Bronze
In second place is Edo State with a total of 59 medals (29 gold, 11 silver, 19 bronze).
Delta State, the host and defending champions who had won all previous editions since 2013, are in third place with 79 medals (23 gold, 29 silver, 27 bronze).
Kwara State came fourth with 14 gold, 8 silver, and 13 bronze medals.
Abia State sits in fifth with 13 gold, 11 silver, and 9 bronze.
Akwa Ibom[1] rounds out the top six, finishing with 8 gold, 7 silver, and 8 bronze medals.
Bright Future Ahead
The Talent Discovery Committee, impressed by performances across different events, has shortlisted several athletes who showed great promise. These names will be sent to the NSC headquarters in Abuja for future development.
Among the standout athletes:
-
Udoh David (Team Akwa Ibom): Won the boys’ 400m with a personal best time of 47.78 seconds.
-
Goodnews Samuel Okon (also Akwa Ibom): Won three gold medals, becoming one of the stars of the Games.
-
Hopi Onuoseke (Team Delta): Took gold in the girls’ long jump with a leap of 5.59 metres.
-
Ella Udumebraye (Team Delta): Won silver in the same event with 5.29 metres.
A Few Concerns, But Great Atmosphere
Despite some reports of over-aged athletes from a few states, the Games have largely been successful, producing record-breaking performances and drawing large support from fans.
The closing ceremony will take place on Saturday at 2pm, marking the end of another memorable edition of the National Youth Games—one that may have launched the careers of Nigeria’s next sporting heroes.