Paul Bright Kolade, a taekwondo coach and multiple gold medalist, has expressed pride in Delta State’s dominant performance at the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Team Delta emerged overall winners with 122 gold, 96 silver, and 105 bronze medals, maintaining their status as the festival’s most consistent powerhouse.
Speaking to Sports247, Kolade—who represented Delta in the Kyorugi (fight) event of taekwondo—shared that this was his fourth consecutive gold medal at the NSF.
“I’ve been in the sport for 27 years and winning back-to-back for over four festivals now. I just defended my title as a gold medalist for the fourth time.”
Kolade is also part of the coaching crew and takes pride in being part of a team that consistently delivers results.
“When you ask me how many states we have in Nigeria in terms of sports, I’ll tell you two—Delta State and others. We are always the king of festivals.”
Despite the celebrations, he acknowledged the challenges faced during preparations, particularly the short camping period.
“In Delta State, we only camped for two weeks. That’s a big challenge when you’re preparing for something like the Nigeria Olympics.”
On the competition at this year’s event, Kolade noted that the gap between Delta and runner-up states is narrowing, making it clear that other states are improving and preparing to dethrone the champions.
“The margin is not that wide. It means other states are planning and training to beat us. So we have to keep moving and bring out the best, especially as we head into Enugu 2026.”
Looking ahead, Kolade stressed the importance of early and consistent preparation. He reaffirmed Delta’s readiness to defend their crown in the next edition.
“As far as Delta State is concerned, we are always ready. We are there again to retain the title.”
His closing message called on Nigeria to invest more in sports, noting its role in youth development and social change.
“Sports takes touts off the streets. We need to do our best to invest. And to my athletes, they must look beyond the festival and train to represent Nigeria at the All-African Games in 2027.”
Bright Kolade remains a strong voice in Nigerian taekwondo and grassroots sports, combining years of competitive excellence with a passion for nurturing future champions.
