Catherine Enku Ewa Ekuta has continued preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a confidence-boosting gold medal in the 63kg category of the Judo event at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City, Edo State.

Ekuta’s gold medal – the first for team Akwa Ibom in Benin – heralded a medal rush in Judo for the state as they finished with an additional five bronze medals in the event.

Adding to Ekuta’s gold were bronze medals for Immaculate Ufot (52Kg), Emmanuel Joshua (60kg) Destiny Ekpo (66kg), Uforoeme Effiong (48kg) and Kingsley Joseph (90Kg).

Reacting to her win, Ekuta who has qualified for the summer Olympics revealed she had to combine training for the festival with writing her University exams.

“Having to juggle writing my exams and preparing for the Sports Festival wasn’t easy but this Gold has definitely eased all the pain I went through,” she wrote on Twitter.

The 20th edition of the National Sports Festival which commenced on Sunday will come to a close on 14 April.