By Kehinde Osagiede
Ahead of the Delta 2022 National Sports Festival, the Edo Sports Associations under Edo State Sports Commission have commenced trials for athletes with Taekwondo and Athletics associations selecting 32 and 70 athletes respectively for camping, preparatory for the November 28, 2022 Delta Games.
The Taekwondo Association after its highly competitive engagements at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, selected 32 athletes from both the men and women’s weight categories.
According to the Head Coach, Arthur Adjorin, the athletes invited to camp will be pruned to sixteen after the trials.
He said that the best sixteen that will emerge after the trials will represent Edo State at the National Sports Festival in Delta State.
Coach Adjorin revealed that his team has been organizing trials for their athletes, adding that the one that produced the 32 for camping was the concluding part of the third quarter trials.
“The first and second athletes in each weight category will qualify for camping and go for the final trial in camp to get one person in each weight category; eight males and eight females respectively.
Some of the successful athletes in the combat sports include: Kabiru Momodu and Brian Osahenoma in the Male Welter Weight; Razak Musa and Aigbozena in the Male Light Weight. Others include Benjamin Okuomose and Olumuyiwa Tofunmi in the Men’s Heavy Weight category.
In the women’s category, Judith Usifoh and Esther Jegede were successful in the Welter Weight while Ovbokhan Egbon and Favour Ugwu made it in the Light Weight Category.
Ameze and Divine Blessing picked the slots in the Heavy Weight Category.
Meanwhile, a total of seventy athletes have been penciled down for camping in the Athletics Association after a 2-day eventful trial at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
According to the Assistant Coach, Sogbayi Ayopo, the trial which is organized for the selection of the Edo team for the National Sports Festival in Delta State later this year, will be concluded during the final camping trial which is expected to reduce the team to 48 that will represent the State.
Coach Ayopo said that his team is working hard to ensure that they overthrow the track champions Delta State, who were dominant in Edo 2020 Games in Benin City with 11 Gold, 9 Silver and 12 Bronze medals while Edo settled for the second spot with 9 Gold, 6 Silver and 3 Bronze medals.
The 2022 Delta Games have been rescheduled to begin on November 28 and end on December 8, 2022.
