Team Delta Enters Final Camp with 600+ Athletes as Team Bayelsa Impresses in NYG Zonal Eliminations

Defending champions of the National Youth Games, Team Delta, have entered a closed training camp with more than 600 athletes in preparation for the ninth edition of the competition, scheduled to take place in Asaba from August 26 to September 6.

The athletes are currently camped across three locations in Asaba: St. Brigid’s School, the Delta Sports Commission hostel, and the hockey hostel in Okpanam. Festus Ohwojero, a member of the Local Organising Committee, revealed on Monday that the final list of athletes and officials representing Team Delta will be announced later this week. “We have over 600 athletes in three different camps right now,” he stated. “Very soon, the number of athletes that will represent Team Delta in the ninth National Youth Games will be made known to the public.”

Meanwhile, Team Bayelsa made a notable impression at the recently concluded South-South zonal qualifiers held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The team, comprising 250 athletes, competed in 10 different sports. In basketball, Bayelsa’s female team secured victories over Rivers (17–9) and Akwa Ibom (16–2) to claim first place. On the male side, Bayelsa won their first two games against Akwa Ibom (18–14) and Edo (7–1), and although they narrowly lost to Rivers (17–19) in extra time, they still qualified.

In football, Bayelsa’s male team won all three of their matches to book a spot in the National Youth Games, while the female team also put up a strong performance with two wins to remain in contention.