Team Oyo delivered an impressive performance on Sunday, May 25, at the 22nd National Sports Festival, securing a total of 90 medals, including 29 gold, 27 silver, and 34 bronze, across various events.In athletics, Clifford Orusa claimed gold in the men’s shotput (deaf athletics), while Mustapha Ruqqayah triumphed in the women’s discus, and Tobechukwu Emmanuel soared to victory in the men’s long jump. Adebisi Sodeeq Olanrewaju also secured gold in the men’s 400m hurdles. Edema Esther earned a bronze in the women’s 400m T45/46 para-athletics event.
Chess proved to be a stronghold for Oyo, with Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, Olisa Tennyson, and Akinseye Abiola each winning gold on men’s boards 1, 2, and 4, respectively. The men’s chess team, comprising Abiola, Tennyson, Balogun Oluwafemi, Onokpite Kennedy, Abdulraheem, and Joshua Oyepitan, clinched gold in the team event. Onokpite Kennedy added a silver on board 5 and a bronze in the men’s blitz. For the women, Sampson Peace took silver on board 1, while Oloruntola Oluwatobiloba and Onoja Iyefu Joy earned bronze on boards 2 and 3, respectively. The women’s chess team, including Joy, Fasola Rashidat, Peace, Oluwatobiloba, Akintoye Deborah, and Unuigboje Gabrielle, secured a bronze.
In cycling, Yekeen Tawakalt claimed silver in the women’s 80km road race. The karate kumite team of Chioma Anni, Sarah Ochuba, Edak Bassey, and Olabisi earned a bronze, while the men’s wheelchair basketball 3×3 team, featuring Oluwaseun Akinde, Taiwo Babalola, Chukwudi Ubaji, and Abiodun Temitope, took home silver.