Sprinters Peter Ejiro and Chibueze Osama delivered a masterclass in speed on Wednesday evening. The duo secured a historic 200m double for Team Delta at the ongoing 2nd Niger Delta Games, held inside the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
Both athletes had already claimed gold in the 100m events on the opening day. Their latest victories in the longer sprint have solidified their status as the fastest athletes of the tournament.
In the women’s 200m final, Ejiro clocked an impressive 23.66 seconds to take the top spot. She narrowly beat Edo State’s Tejiri Ugoh-Praise, who finished in 23.75 seconds to claim silver. Delta’s Faith Chukwuma completed the podium, taking the bronze medal with a time of 24.02 seconds.
The men’s race was equally thrilling. Chibueze Osama stormed to victory in 21.43 seconds, edging out Akwa Ibom’s Gift Bright, who finished in 21.61 seconds. Interestingly, the battle for bronze required a photo finish. Martias Iwara of Cross River matched Bright’s time exactly but had to settle for third place after officials reviewed the footage.
The dominant duo did not stop at individual glory. Ejiro and Osama joined forces in the mixed 4x100m relay, leading Team Delta to another gold medal. The team finished with a time of 43.07 seconds, further boosting Delta’s standing in the athletics category.
While Delta dominated the flat sprints, host state Edo found success in other track and field events. In the women’s high jump, Treasure Omosivwe Eseoghene cleared a height of 1.75m to win gold. She outperformed Delta’s Ajagbawa Frances (1.65m) and Abia’s Chioma Amarachi (1.60m).
Edo also celebrated a victory in the men’s 110m hurdles. Oseiwe Salami Ahusimenre crossed the finish line in 14.23 seconds to secure the gold medal. Delta’s Ifeanyi Endurance followed in second place, while Edo’s Solomon Okundaye Eoghosa took the bronze.
Despite Delta’s sprinting success, Edo State has surged ahead in the overall rankings. The host state currently leads with a total of 102 medals, including 50 gold medals.
Edo now holds a 16-gold-medal lead over Delta State. As the competition enters its final stages, the race for the top spot remains intense, with fans eagerly watching to see if Delta can close the 11-medal gap in the overall tally.
