Acting Director of Sports for Bayelsa State, Mr. Andrew Aye, has hailed the determination and resilience of the state’s athletes following their impressive medal-winning displays at the ongoing National Youth Games in Asaba.
Speaking after Bayelsa’s wrestlers stormed to back-to-back gold medals, Mr. Aye described the performances as a reflection of hard work, discipline, and consistency. Lucky Okoriye struck gold in the 48kg Greco-Roman category, defeating Team Oyo, while BelieveGod Emmanuel overpowered his opponent from Kwara to claim the 55kg title.
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Flanked by senior officials including Mr. Bibo Lambert, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr. Alaowei Opukeme, Technical Assistant on Sports, and Olympic silver medalist Coach Blessing Oborududu, the Acting DG commended the athletes for displaying the Bayelsa spirit on the national stage.
“Our athletes have shown courage and consistency in every round, and these victories today are proof of their focus and determination,” Mr. Aye said. “We are proud of their achievements, but I want to urge them to stay disciplined and keep pushing harder as the Games continue. This is only the beginning.”
The Acting DG also congratulated the male volleyball team, who earned silver after an outstanding run, narrowly losing to Lagos in the final. He further encouraged the basketball team, who missed out on a medal after a tight 13–12 loss to Rivers State in the third-place playoff.
On the track, he expressed confidence in sprint sensation Perfect Faye, who stormed into the men’s 200m final with swagger and confidence.
At the end of Day 7, Bayelsa’s medal count stood at 8 Gold, 9 Silver, and 21 Bronze, with Mr. Aye assuring that the state will continue to fight for more glory.
