The 22nd National Sports Festival, dubbed the Gateway Games, has reached a thrilling point as states battle for supremacy in a historic display of talent and tenacity.
As Day 4 wrapped up, Bayelsa State continued its impressive dominance, while Delta State made a powerful comeback, proving why it remains one of Nigeria’s sporting powerhouses.
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Bayelsa, the early pace-setter, maintained its lead with a commanding 16 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze medal haul – a testimony to its well-prepared contingent and strategic focus on early-event sports.
But the big story of Day 4 is the resurgence of defending champions Delta State, which leapt from 7th place on Day 3 to second with 10 gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze medals – a move that has reignited competition and set the stage for a high-stakes medal chase.
Osun State, one of the surprise performers of this year’s festival, sits firmly in third with 6 gold and 1 silver, while Rivers State follows closely in fourth, holding 5 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals.
Lagos State, traditionally a top contender, finds itself in fifth place, despite amassing the highest number of total medals so far – with 4 gold, 7 silver, and 10 bronze. This points to a strong showing, but one lacking gold-level finishes.
Other standings include:
- Oyo State (6th): 4 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze
- Akwa Ibom (7th): 4 gold, 1 silver
- Plateau (8th): 3 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze
- Cross River (9th): 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
- Edo State (10th): 2 gold, 15 silver, 16 bronze
- Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) (11th): 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
So far, 199 medals have been awarded: 61 gold, 61 silver, and 77 bronze, with many more events still unfolding across various venues in Abeokuta and surrounding areas.
While the competition continues to thrill fans, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, has once again warned media outlets and officials against spreading unofficial medals tables, urging reliance on the official festival app for real-time, verified updates.
“This is not the time for guesswork or misinformation. Let us embrace innovation and ensure accuracy,” he said. “We’ve never had it this transparent in over 20 years of this competition.”
As the festival builds momentum, attention now turns to track and field events, swimming finals, and team sports semifinals – all set to shake up the standings once again.
Who will take the lead by Day 5? Will Bayelsa hold on, or will Delta reclaim the throne?
Stay tuned, stay official – and follow the action live via the Gateway Games app.
