Team Edo underlined their dominance in weightlifting at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, finishing far ahead of rivals to emerge overall champions.
Edo secured an impressive 12 medals — 9 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze, with all their gold medals coming from the women’s division.
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The trio of Favour Cornelius (44kg), Esther Amarachi Chijoke (48kg), and Beauty Akpore (53kg) each swept three gold medals, making them the most outstanding performers of the competition and powering Edo to the summit.
In the men’s categories, Team Akwa Ibom’s firepower stood out.
Destiny Okon Bassey (56kg) claimed two gold medals, while Goodness Samuel Okon (65kg) lifted his way to a clean sweep of three golds, ensuring Akwa Ibom’s second-place finish with 9 medals (5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze).
Team Abia’s shining light was Vitalis Nnaji Chiemerie, who completely dominated the men’s 60kg class, winning all three gold medals on offer. His feat placed Abia third on the medals table with 3 gold medals.
There were also memorable individual highlights outside the top three teams.
Niger’s Abdulsalam Kamaldeen stole the show in the men’s 56kg clean and jerk with a gold-winning lift of 91kg. Oyo’s Fathia Toluwalase Owoyele displayed grit in the women’s 48kg, earning three silver medals.
From Enugu, Aguji Michael Chiemerie (65kg) secured three silvers, while the Ezenwa sisters—Esther Chidalu (FCT, 44kg) and Chinaza Cecilia (Lagos, 53kg)—collected multiple medals between them to keep their states on the table.
Other noteworthy contributions came from Imo’s Victory Maduabuchi Iwuoha (1 silver, 2 bronze in men’s 60kg), Plateau’s Dach Veirat Dachoaaom (1 silver, 1 bronze in women’s 53kg), while Delta and Osun battled hard for a combined ten bronze medals.
At the close of events, 12 states registered medals, but Edo’s perfect sweep in the women’s categories was the defining storyline.
Commending the lifters, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Aladi, President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), hailed the standout talents and promised they would be groomed for higher stages.
NWF technical official Sefiya Onubaye Ahuozia also praised the quality of competition, stressing that the performances in Asaba prove Nigeria’s weightlifting future is secure.
