By Fisayo Dairo
Nigeria’s swimming powerhouses Delta and Bayelsa states are in a neck-to-neck battle for winners of the Swimming event in the ongoing Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) with a day of competition left in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital.
Both states enjoyed good success on Day 2 of the swimming event taking place at the Uyo Township Stadium on Friday with Delta staying top of the sport’s medals table with eight gold and a total of sixteen medals.
Team Delta clinched four gold medals on Friday but were trailed by Bayelsa and Edo states who won two gold medals each to continue their chase of their arch rivals in the quest to become the Swimming Lords in the Niger Delta region.
Both Delta and Bayelsa state shared the honours in the last two competitions of day two – the relays – with the former winning the 4x100m
Men’s Medley relay while the latter won the 4x100m Mixed Freestyle relay after a very fabulous performance beating Delta to a distant second.
With one day of competition left in Swimming, Delta lead the way with a total of eight gold, six silver and two bronze medals while Bayelsa state are currently second with six gold, four silver and three gold medals with Edo state a place behind with two gold, seven silver and four bronze medals.
Delta’s Chukwunalu Olise who won two gold medals on Friday will continue to lead his state’s charge while Bayelsa’s Alfred Gesikeme will carry the hopes of the Prosperity State in the final day of Swimming competition in Uyo.
Imo state are currently fourth on the Swimming medals table with two gold and one bronze medals while Rivers are fifth with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Cross River, Abia and Ondo state are yet to win a gold medal going into the final day.
“We will be ready for the final showdown on Saturday. Team Bayelsa have all it takes to overtake Delta on the table and we will put in our best to give the glory to our state,” Gesikeme told NDSF Media.
Key among the nine gold medals available on Saturday are 100m butterfly for men, 50m freestyle for men and women as well as the 4x100m Mixed Medley and 4×10 Freestyle relay for women.
