By Eche Amos
Golf’s rising profile, Friday Godwin, on Monday, won Team Nasarawa’s first medal at the ongoing 8th National Youth Games holding in Asaba, Delta State.
After beating off stiff competitions from his Delta State counterpart in the first game, his FCT opponent in the second game, Borno opposition in the last eight and Kano antagonist in the semi-final, the promising golfer settled for a silver medal after losing his final’s game to his Adamawa State’s counterpart, Obed Yusuf, by 2-3 up in the match-ball event decided in the morning at the Ibori Golf and Country Club, Asaba.
He stands a chance of winning another medal for Team Nasarawa on Tuesday morning in the Stroke Play(36 holes) when he faces up against oppositions from Benue, Niger and Kaduna States respectively.
For his feat, Friday Godwin has been selected by Organizers of the Youth Games via the Nigeria Golf Federation to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming Golf Junior CAT Championship to be hosted by either Cameroon or Senegal later in the year.
The selectors also picked Nasarawa State’s Sidi Ibrahim who ended 4th best in the Eclectic Golf Event.
Team Nasarawa also won a bronze medal in Para-Shot Put courtesy of Anthony Ayuba.
The Boys’ Hockey Team who are through to the Semi-finals’ stage will face North Central neighbours, Team Niger, on Tuesday, 17th September, 2024, by 9.30 in the morning.
A win for them in the last four will see them play the winners between Team Kaduna and Team Borno in the final on Wednesday, at the Okpanan Hockey pitch.
The State’s Girls’ Hockey Team who are making their debut appearance at the Youth Games were unable to progress beyond the group stage after winning only one game out of four, meaning, they are eliminated from the competition.
Hopes remain for Team Nasarawa in other Sports like Wrestling, Weightlifting, Dart, and Judo.
Sensational boxer, Yusuf Abdullahi, agonizingly bowed out of the Youth Games after failing to heal from injuries sustained on his fists in his last technical knockout win over his Enugu State’s counterpart in the Boys’ 42kg category.
He was unable to face his quarter-final rival as a result of his predicament, with his dream of winning a medal for Team Nasarawa at the Games shattered while he wept uncontrollably and profusely.
The 8th edition of the annual multi-sports events will climax on Thursday, 19th September, 2024, at the prestigious Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
Nearly five thousand athletes below age 15, and over 1,000 accompanying officials are partaking in this year’s edition, the highest number in the history of the competition.
