Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Wednesday, rewarded the state’s athletes that excelled at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival held in April this year.
An elated Governor Diri announced a total package of N195 million for the gold, sliver and bronze medallists, as well as the coaches and secretaries of the teams.
Bayelsa, for the first time, placed third on the final medals table behind Delta and Edo, a feat that surpassed the fourth place it recorded in 2006 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor, who received the state’s contingent inside the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa, said the gesture was in appreciation of the honour they brought to the state.
For every individual gold medallist, Governor Diri announced a cash reward of N1 million, while team gold medallists got N500, 000 each with outstanding swimmer, Ifiezibe Gagbe, getting over N10m reward having won eight gold, two silver and five bronze medals.
Gold medal winning coaches and secretaries were also rewarded with N500, 000 each, while individual silver medalists smiled home with N350,000, team silver medallists N250,000 each and silver medal winning coaches and secretaries N300, 000 each.
The reward for individual bronze medallists was N300, 000, team bronze medallists N100,000 while bronze medal winning coaches and secretaries got N200,000 each.
The largesse also captured non- medal winning athletes, who were appreciated with N50, 000 each, the same with their coaches and secretaries.
The governor urged the athletes to reciprocate the gesture by improving on their performance in the next festival and assured that the government would not relent in promoting sports at all levels.
The governor also announced the adoption of two Bayelsa-born athletes in line with the adopt-an-athlete initiative of Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare.
The adopted athletes are Tokyo Olympics-bound multiple African and Commonwealth wrestling champion, Blessing Oborududu, and 17-year-old sprinter, Tima Godbless, who won a silver medal in the women’s 200 meters and bronze in the 4×100 meters relay at the festival.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Daniel Igali, said with 568 athletes at the festival, Bayelsa won 56 gold, 57 silver and 58 bronze medals to place third.
“The story about the sports festival was about Bayelsa. Not only did we punch a bit above our weight, we also had the athlete with the highest gold medals. She won eight gold medals.
“We assure you that when the time comes, beginning today with your full backing, we would go to Asaba 2022 and make you proud again.”
A minute’s silence was observed in honour of an athlete, Samson Ndukwe, who won gold at the festival but passed on before the reception.