By Tony Ahize, Owerri.
The National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged Gateway Games Ogun 2024, marked another significant chapter in Nigeria’s grassroots sports development, often dubbed the country’s “Mini Olympics.” Team Imo was among the contingents that competed in the multi-sport event hosted in Ogun State. With spirited determination, 420 representatives from Imo State, comprising 327 athletes, 70 officials, and 23 delegates, departed Owerri on the 17th of May, 2024, to participate in this prestigious event.
Imo’s athletes competed across 31 different sports and concluded the festival in 16th position on the overall medal table with a total haul of 38 medals, broken down into:
• 4 Gold Medals
• 6 Silver Medals
• 28 Bronze Medals
Medal Overview and Sporting Contributions
The medals were earned across 15 different sporting activities, showcasing the versatility and resilience of the Imo athletes. These sports include:
• Darts
• Cricket
• Abula
• Para Basketball
• Para Table Tennis
• Kickboxing
• Wrestling
• Athletics
• Para Athletics (Shot Put)
• Lawn Tennis
• Para Powerlifting
• Wushu Kungfu
• Chess
• Karate
• Taekwondo
• Golf
Highlight Performances and Medal-Winning Sports
Among all sports, Darts emerged as the most successful, contributing 7 medals to the tally—1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 5 Bronze. A significant highlight from this discipline was the outstanding performance of Favour Okehie, who played a key role in the darts medal wins and emerged as one of the most decorated athletes in the team.
Other sports that contributed multiple medals include:
• Para Powerlifting
• Kickboxing
• Para Table Tennis
• Wrestling
These events not only brought medals but also demonstrated Imo’s strength in para-sports, combat sports, and traditional field events.
Star Performers and Key Medalists
Below is a summary list of notable individual and team medalists at the Gateway Games:
🥇 Gold Medalists
1. Favour Okehie – Darts 301 Women Single
2. Uche Anoruo & Isife Michael – Golf Double Match Play (Men)
3. Mercy Nneka Onwuchekwa – Chess (Classical)
4. Jecinta Mbaegwu – Para Table Tennis (Women Singles)
🥈 Silver Medalists
1. Ernest Ugwuanyi – Wushu Kungfu 90kg Men
2. Ebubechi Akosa – Weightlifting 102kg Men
3. Favour Okehie – Darts 501 Women
4. Nkemjika Iwuoha – Para Powerlifting 159kg Women
5. Chiwendu Onyemaechi – Para Powerlifting 86kg
6. Chukwuemeka Henry – Kickboxing 60kg Men
🥉 Bronze Medalists (selected list)
• Chigozie Chukwudera – Taekwondo 67kg Men
• Oluebube Chizitere & Onwuegbuchi Stella – Wushu Kungfu
• Uzoma Mejuru – Darts 301 Men
• Amaechi Johnson & Chizoba Peace – Kickboxing
• Eze Chidinma & Oluchi Ozurumba – Tennis Women Doubles
• Augustin Azubuike & Chimaobi Azuwuike – Athletics
• Amarachi Nkwocha & Jecinta Mbaegwu – Para Table Tennis Doubles
• Chinedu Njoku Alabi – Para Table Tennis Men’s Double
• Duru Goodness & Acholonu Chidinma – Para Athletics Shot Put
• Team Cricket (Male) – Bronze
• Team Abula (Doubles) – Bronze
• Team Para Basketball – Bronze.
Uchenna Opkala Wrestling 75kg - Bronze
Azuwuike Chimaobi - Athletics 3000m
Uzoma Mejuru - Darts 501 men
Favour Okehie - Darts 701 men
Team Logistics and Return
After the conclusion of the NSF events, Team Imo returned to Owerri on Saturday, 31st May 2024, marking the end of an intensive and experience-rich outing. The team’s logistics, coordination, and support by the contingent leadership contributed to the relatively successful participation.
Performance Evaluation
While finishing 16th on the national medal table may not reflect podium dominance, it remains a respectable achievement considering the fierce competition and the diversity of states involved. The performance signals potential in several areas—particularly in darts, para sports, and combat sports—where the team showed remarkable resilience and technical growth.
The team’s success in events like Chess, Golf, and Wrestling, also speaks volumes about the growing breadth of talent in Imo State’s sporting ecosystem.
Looking Ahead: Enugu 2026
Team Imo is now setting its sights on the next edition of the National Sports Festival, scheduled to take place in Enugu in 2026. With renewed optimism, the state sports authorities are expected to review performance data, invest in further grassroots development, and enhance training programs aimed at improving Imo’s ranking in future games.
Conclusion
The 2024 Gateway Games NSF in Ogun provided Team Imo with valuable exposure, competitive experience, and medal success across multiple sports. With a total of 38 medals, the contingent proved its competitiveness and commitment to sports excellence. As preparations begin for NSF Enugu 2026, the focus must now shift towards early talent development, improved facilities, and strategic support for high-performing athletes.
Imo has the talent, the passion, and now the experience to aim for a top 10 finish—or higher—in the near future.
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