Kwara2013NSSF: Cross Rivers, Anambra topple in athletics’ medals chase

Cross River and Anambra State have so far dominated in the athletics event of the ongoing Sterling Bank-sponsored 6th National School Sports Festival in Ilorin.

Both states seem to have swept virtually all the medals in both the track and field events of the competition.

In some of the results made available to journalists, n the 800 meters final U- 13 boys category, Cross Rivers claimed the gold medal through Godwin Ashia, while the duo of Ugurouwa Johnson and Izuakor Kingsley of Anambra state got the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Also in the 800 metres finals for U-15 girls, the gold went to Ogun State through Ogunmola Sarah as Cross Rivers’ Patience Udeme and Ohiero Maria won the silver and bronze medals.

The 800 U-13 for girls saw Cross Rivers again clinching the gold and silver medals through Eziume Iroha and Theresa Sunday, as Osita Chinyere of Anambra made do with the bronze medal.

In the U-15 high jump for boys, Ondo State won gold through Yusuf Rasheed, while Hamza Tajudeen and Bassey Miracle from Niger and Anambra States shared the silver and bronze medals.

But for the High Jump U-15 event for girls Anambra State won gold through Akene Amarachi, while Alice Udagbaor and Otogor Udagbor both of Cross Rivers picked the silver and bronze medals.

In the 100 metres U-15 for girls, Mercy Ntianong won the gold medal for Cross Rivers, as Nwofor Chinedu of Anambra state beat Kwara’s Asamo Taiye to the third position to pick the silver.

Meanwhile, coaches from different schools participating in the sports fiesta have recommended the MRI machine for screening of the athletes henceforth.

The group of coaches, who do not want their names in print said if the technology worked at the U-17 World Cup, it could equally work for the school sports.

Reacting to the protest and complaints that has trailed the screening exercise of the competition the coaches said the MRI machine would reduce the inefficiency in the screening process.

“I just want to say that there were so many flaws in the screening of the athletes this year. How can you explain just looking at a child’s face and ascertain the age of that child. I want to say that with the MRI machine at list human errors will be avoided,” one of the coaches said.

Though an arbitration panel has been set up to look into the various protests, the coaches feel it is a waste of time and resources as the MRI test would have taken care of such process.