The Golden Eaglets will contest for the bronze medals of the male football event of the ongoing 22^nd National Sports Festival, after they lost 1-2 to Team Ogun in the second semi finals of the event in Ikenne-Remo on Sunday.

In the first semifinal, Team Kwara defeated Team Kaduna by a lone goal to qualify for the final of the male football event, which will be held on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex.

In the female event, Nigeria’s U17 boys, Flamingos flew their way into the final after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Team Ogun. Shakirat Moshood made no mistake from six yards after the 2022 FIFA World Cup bronze medallists were awarded a penalty with minutes left in the encounter.

They will now face Team Delta in Tuesday’s grand finale, after the latter dismissed Team Osun 4-1 in the first semi final.

The third-place matches will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium, while the final of the male and female events will hold at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta.

The Golden Eaglets and Flamingos are participating in the 22^nd National Sports Festival as part of the praiseworthy Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative of the National Sports Commission.

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Scrabble, the cerebral game that has enticed many with its word-and-number attribute, has marked a milestone as it was streamed live, the first-ever at the 22nd National Sports Festival tagged ”Gateway Games 2024″ to a global audience.

Since the first word was made at the 2004 edition in Abuja, the game has kept its progress but lacked a live flow beyond the audience outside the borders.

Twenty-one years later, a threshold was crossed as 24 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, assembled at the Multi-purpose hall of the Remo Stars Sports Complex for what has been termed  the biggest Olympics in Africa to joust for honour, medals and expected cash rewards across 12 categories.

Host Association, Ogun State Scrabble led by Adekoyejo Adegbesan who also wears a dual hat as the continent’s president at the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) with Olobatoke Aka Nigeria Federation President under the Local Organising Committee (LOC) knew the significant role scrabble would play in satisfying thousands of interest who clings to their screens as a portal to witness the spectacles from the quiet town of Ikenne, one of the five host centres for the Games.

And the first play was made by current African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko on Table 1, a move followed by thousands of eyeballs who followed virtually.

This significant singular stroke has earned raving reactions as the National Sports Festival has been catapulted to a new high level.

” We as the host have pulled no stops in giving a great experience and feel to the National Sports Festival,” revealed an excited Adegbesan.

 “We are happy that this step has been taken for the development of Scrabble at this multi-sports event. Scrabble lovers and enthusiasts have followed the game both nationally and internationally. You can see how people even here have stayed glued to their devices, following keenly every action on Table.”

“Scrabble is growing and we as the hosts are glad to be able to create and add this experience to the 2024 Gateway Games.”

The experience will no doubt boost the profile and depth of the Games as 186 players from 24 states compete at the serene arena from May 23 to 27.

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Traditional leaders at the National Sports Festival, Delta State, have further extended their leadership on the medals table. After trailing behind Bayelsa State in the opening three days, Delta State restored the old order and took a narrow lead over Bayelsa on Friday.

But as at the close of events on Saturday, they have extended the gap significantly. Delta State have made a podium appearance 84 times as against 71 by Bayelsa.

Delta State’s 84 medals comprise 41 gold, 14 silver and 21 bronze medals.

The live medals table is HERE

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