The third day of the 22nd National Sports Festival, officially branded Gateway Games 2024, delivered a full slate of compelling performances, breakout talent, and tightly contested matchups across various sports.
As the competition heats up, Bayelsa State has surged to the top of the medals table, staking an early claim as a dominant force in this year’s edition.
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Bayelsa currently leads the standings with a total of nine medals—six gold, two silver, and one bronze—highlighting their strong start across multiple disciplines.
Oyo State follows closely with six medals, including four golds, while Lagos sits third with ten medals in total (three gold, four silver, three bronze).
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Cross River and Rivers states round out the top five, while defending champions Delta are notably in seventh position with just one gold after Day 3.
Highlights across events
At the Alake Sports Centre, handball produced high-intensity action in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Team Ogun gave their home crowd something to cheer about with a convincing 32–20 win over Kogi in the women’s category.
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Edo also delivered a commanding 33–15 performance against Kano, asserting their intent in the tournament.
In the men’s matches, FCT Abuja overpowered Kano 29–20, while Adamawa edged Enugu in a nail-biting 32–31 finish—one of the day’s most dramatic contests.
Sokoto comfortably beat Osun 26–18, maintaining control throughout the match.
Wushu Kungfu: Kwara and Ogun secure early medals
In the Wushu Kungfu events, Team Kwara opened their medal account through Sidiq Bolaji Sidiq, who claimed silver in the Nanquan category.
He was narrowly beaten by Ogun’s Bright Sakwe, who scored 6.73 to win gold.
Bayelsa’s Tuayenrin Miracle secured bronze in the same event, keeping the state’s medal tally ticking.
Further medals in Wushu were shared among Ogun, Edo, and Delta in other subcategories including Daoshu and Changquan Taolu.
Ogun’s Christian Raphael notably picked up gold in Changquan with a 6.47 score.
Osun women’s football team cruises to semifinals
The Osun State women’s football team booked their place in the semifinals with a dominant 6–1 victory over Benue.
Goals came from Doyin Adepoju, Robiat Taofeek, Victory Odanlumen, Rukayat Ariyo, and a brace from Aisha Omolola.
The win builds on earlier group-stage success and underlines Osun’s title ambitions.
Cricket: Striking performances across the pitch
In cricket, both men’s and women’s matches delivered a mix of flair and resilience.
Oyo State secured a 34-run win over Kwara in the men’s event, while Edo comfortably chased down Delta’s 71-run total to win by eight wickets.
In the women’s competition, Edo and Ogun picked up wins over Kaduna and Ebonyi, respectively. Lagos edged Akwa Ibom by a single run in a rain-shortened five-over contest decided by the DLS method.
Medals Table – Day 3 Summary
After three days of competition, the top of the medals table is beginning to take shape:
Download medal table Here
So far, 71 medals have been awarded across all events—23 gold, 23 silver, and 25 bronze—as the festival continues to gain momentum in both intensity and quality.
READ ALSO: New dual cricket pitch facility launched in Ogun State at National Sports Festival
Looking Ahead
As Gateway Games 2024 moves into Day 4, the stakes continue to rise. With over 30 sports still ongoing, fans can expect more upsets, emerging talents, and standout performances.
For now, Bayelsa enjoys the top spot—but the race for supremacy is far from over.
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