FCT Achieves Targeted Single-Digit Finish at 22nd National Sports Festival

By: Gyang Dakwo

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sports team has fulfilled its promise of a strong showing at the 22nd National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, finishing 8th on the overall medals table.

This single-digit finish is a clear improvement from the 9th position the FCT secured at the 21st edition of the festival in Asaba. It also equals the territory’s best performance at the national games, which was first achieved at the 2018 edition hosted in Abuja.

Speaking with Abuja Digest at the closing ceremony of the games, FCT Director of Sports, Mr. Luka Istifanus, described the achievement as a result of the strong push from FCT Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike, who encouraged the athletes to compete fairly and aim for medals.

Earlier in the year, during the presentation of the Unity Torch to the FCT Minister on its nationwide tour, Mr. Istifanus had stated that Team FCT was targeting a single-digit finish. That goal has now been successfully realised.

Team FCT, featuring around 182 athletes across 22 sporting events, delivered a commendable performance by clinching a total of 39 medals, including 14 gold, 8 silver, and 17 bronze. The medals came from a diverse range of disciplines, including karate, golf, ayo, wrestling, gymnastics, Scrabble, and several others, showcasing the team’s versatility and competitive spirit.

Mr. Istifanus praised the unwavering support from the FCT Administration led by Barrister Nyesom Wike and Minister of State Dr. Mariya Mahmoud. He said their commitment to sports development created the enabling environment that made the athletes’ success possible.

He also noted that with the achievements at the festival, it is now time to return to the drawing board to build on this momentum and prepare for even better results in the future. He emphasized that such progress is possible because of the sport-friendly nature of the current FCT Administration.

The FCT contingent is expected to return to Abuja on Friday.

Meanwhile, Delta State topped the overall medals table with a commanding 122 gold, 96 silver, and 105 bronze medals, making a total of 323. Host state Ogun came second with 92 gold, 64 silver, and 78 bronze medals (232 total), followed closely by Bayelsa in third place with 91 gold, 61 silver, and 70 bronze medals (222 total).