I worked hard for my gold medal, says sprint queen, Ayenuro
• Delta girls’ football team disqualified, Imo promoted to silver medal
TEAM Delta’s Taiye Ayenuro has become the most sought after athlete at the ongoing National Youth Games in Ilorin, after she picked the 100m gold medal in girls athletics event yesterday.
Ayenuro, who is one of the athletes being tipped for future glory, lived up to the expectations of athletics lovers yesterday morning, when she clinched the gold with a time of 12.18 seconds to beat Stella Oyebode of Kwara State. Oyebode returned a time of 12.35 seconds, while Laofeekat Adenikemi Sulaimon of Oyo State placed third in12.57seconds.
Ayenuro told The Guardian that hard work
and determination ga ve her the medal. She hinted that her target is to win three more medals today in 200m, 4x100m and the medley relay.
In the boys’ event, Awonusi Wilfred Olafapo won the gold medal for Bayelsa State after clocking 11.23 seconds to beat Oyovwiyoma Joachim of Delta, who also clocked 11.23 seconds in a photo finish. Habib Mohammed of Kaduna finished third in 11.26 seconds.
Team Delta also claimed gold in the male and female shot put events, just as Onyia Jeffrey Miracle won the long jump gold for Team Delta after leaping to 6.67 metres. He beat Akwugbu Miracle of Akwa Ibom, who leaped to 6.39 meters, while Longlife Blessed of Edo State leaped 6.35 meters to place third.
MEANWHILE, Delta State has been disqualified from the girls’ football event in which they finished second for allegedly fielding an unqualified player.
The organisers of the games, yesterday, upheld Imo State’s protests, which alleged that one of the players fielded by Delta in their game had played for Heartland Queens during the last Aiteo Cup competition.