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Nigeria: Ogba Celebrates Delta's Gold Medals Haul
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This Day (Lagos)
9 July 2008
Posted to the web 9 July 2008
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Lagos
Erstwhile Delta State Sports Commissioner Chief Solomon Ogba was enthused by the state's continued domination of the country's track and field as exemplified by the nine gold medals won at last week's Mobil Olympic Trials in Abuja.
Ogba told THISDAYSports that he was particularly happy that the structure in place in Delta has continued to produce excellence results.
"Our projection at the championship (Mobil Track & Field Championship) was to win 10 gold medals. We almost succeeded. I don't think just one short of the target is bad at all," observed the former Delta sports boss.
Ogba could not hide his joy that Obinna Metu, a runner he saw a bright future in and gave him a chance to join the Delta train has succeeded another former Delta athlete Olusoji Fasuba as Nigeria's sprint champion.
"When I saw Obinna race at a meet in Ibadan, I knew that the chap has a bright future. I immediately gave him a job. My joy today is that the boy has not disappointed me," he noted.
He revealed that Metu was converted from being a quarter-miler to doing the sprint. "You have not seen the best of Obinna (Metu) yet. He is going to be a phenomenon as he is going. He has the strength of a quarter-miler. I see him in the mould of Jamaican Usain Bolt. Obinna has the same built and frame."
To motivate the Delta athletes to succeed at the Mobil Meet, Ogba promised each gold medallist N.1million reward that he fulfilled at the Abuja National Stadium venue of the Olympic trials.
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Metu won gold in both the 100m and 200m while Blessing Okagbare also did the double in the women long jump and triple jump. Obiora Arinze (high jump), Sorochukwu Ihueto (javelin) and Stanley Gbagbeke (men long jump) were the other gold medal winners. The 4x100m relay gold appears the most cherished by the Delta contingent as it was snatched from the grip of the national team quartet whose anchor leg Olusoji Fasuba crashed out of the race, a few meters to finish due to a left hamstring problem.
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