Osaretin Godwin of Team Edo pulled off one of the most shocking moments of the 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State, staging an upset to defeat Olympian Ese Ukpeseraye of Rivers in the women’s 200m sprint final, Afrosport reports.
The final held on Thursday along Kobape on the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway delivered high drama as fans witnessed a new champion emerge.
Osaretin stormed past Ukpeseraye, winning both races in the best-of-two format to clinch the gold medal. Her 2-0 victory brought an end to Ukpeseraye’s stronghold on the event.
Ukpeseraye, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, had won gold in the same event at both the Edo 2020 and Delta 2022 editions, making Osaretin’s triumph, a remarkable feat.
Meanwhile, Taiwo Ogunbanwo delivered a sensational upset to clinch gold in the men’s 10-metre air rifle event.
Competing on home ground for Team Ogun, Ogunbanwo rose to the occasion against a field of seven elite marksmen, including defending champion and national number one, Okposo Esugo of Delta State.
Ogunbanwo fired 24 shots over 12 rounds to rack up a winning score of 225.4 points, enough to edge past Esugo, who settled for silver with 223.5 points.
Samuel Okanlawon of Borno State rounded out the podium, taking bronze with a total of 204.0 points.
At the end of day five, team Bayelsa maintained its lead on the medals table with 32 gold, 14 silver, and 15 bronze medals, a total of 61.
Delta is second with 31 gold, 11 silver and 28 bronze, a total of 70, while Rivers completes the top three with 15 gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze medals and 37 in total.
