Collins Obi won gold for Team Kano with a new National Sports Festival record of 53.92s in the 100m Freestyle, eclipsing the former record of 54.33s set by Ifeakachukwu Nmor of Team Delta at the 2018 edition in Abuja.

Obi’s 100m Freestyle gold was his third of the games adding to silver medals in the 200m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly events on Thursday at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City, Edo State.

Meanwhile, Team Rivers’ Nsikak Etim Solomon shocked favourite Jighere Wellington of Team Delta to win the Masters Singles title in the Scrabble Event with Team Edo’s George Ezinore settling for bronze.

Ifiezegbe Gagbe representing Team Bayelsa has emerged as one of the most outstanding athletes in Benin after she took her medal haul to five gold medals with victories in the 100m, 200m and 400m Freestyle, 1500m and 400m Medley.

In the men’s 63kg Taekwondo event, Team Zamfara’s Idris Faremi defeated Mohammed Lawal of Team Kano to win gold with the latter taking home the silver medal while Team Kebbi’s Jemilu Danbaba took Bronze.

Meanwhile, Oyo State claimed six bronze medals in the Kickboxing event with Adegboyega Aminat, Adegboyega Kaosarat, Adeyemi Jamiu, Muili Toheeb, Fidelis James and Akanbi Kehinde all winning bronze in their respective categories.

At the close of competition on Thursday, the official medals table showed defending champions Team Delta in the lead with 32 gold, 25 silver and 15 bronze medals bringing their total to 72 medals.

Team Bayelsa are in second place with 20 gold, eight silver, and 15 bronze medals while hosts Team Edo are in third place with 18 gold, 24 silver, and 21 bronze medals. Rivers follow in 4th place with eight gold, six silver, and twelve bronze medals and Team Imo rounds off the top five with 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Seven states including Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa and Kogi are yet to register on the medals table at the festival which comes to an end on April 14.