By Akanimo Kufre
Brilliance and heroics trailed Team Akwa Ibom youths contingent on the first day of the 9th National Youth Games, NYG in Asaba, Delta State.
Destiny Bassey, a teenage weightlifter, opened the Bronze. gates for team Akwa Ibom as he hauled 3 medals – 2 golds and 1 bronze.
The three medals came from 75kg snatch-gold, clean and jerk- Bronze, and combined total of 162kg-gold. The weightlifting youngster has become a morale booster and destiny changer for team Akwa Ibom to finish better than 17th position in this edition’s medal table.
Meanwhile, the careful combination of orange and white colours for Team Akwa Ibom did not escape excitement and attention of spectators at Friday’s Opening Ceremony of the NYG at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
This is not the first time Akwa Ibom State would win “the best dressed ” team award at national multi-sports events. Since the post COVID-19 era, Akwa Ibom kit designers have uped their game. Edo 2020 was brilliant, and the same goes for 2025 outing.
Thanks to our black skin, these colours became colourful. Also, special thanks to the administrators who invested. However, a standard of delivering all the kits in a KIT BAG to athletes has to be revisited.
This will bring a sense of motivation, pride, and memoirs of sport dedication. “We are the Future” could have been printed on the kit bags alongside “Discipline wins.” Of course, the first inscription is the 9th NYG theme, while the latter is suggested tagline.
