Port Harcourt – Patience Okorogu, 16, a student of Abonnema Girls Secondary, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers has won the first gold medal in the ongoing Go Round/SWAN athletics championships for secondary schools.
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won the girls high jump event with a leap of 1.50m to win the gold medal.
Bari-Iye Kobani, 15, from Bonny Local Government Area won silver with and Silka Chioma of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LocaL Government won joint silver with the same leap of 1.40m.
Okorogu later told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that she was delighted to winning the gold in her event.
“I competed against bigger athletes and still won them. I give God the glory and I hope to train harder for future championships.
“I also praise the sponsor of the championships, Chief Felix Obuah, for investing in the youth. We appreciate his gesture,’’ she said.
Maxwell Wariboko, 16, a student of Community Secondary School, Bille, Degema Local Government Area, won the gold in the boys’ long jump event with a leap of 6.11m.
An excited Wariboko said: “This is really great for me. Although, we did not train much for these championships, it is really worth participating in.
“I am happy winning the medal,’’ he said.
Lawrence Briggs of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, won silver with a leap of 5.85m, while Osundu Ephraim of Eleme Local Government Area won bronze with a leap of 5.80m.
Mr Nselefwa Whyte, team leader of Akuku-Toru Local Government, praised athletes from the area for winning medals.
He said the local government was expecting more medals as it had qualified for the finals of more events.
Mr Dumo Warigbani, team leader of Degema Local Government, also expressed optimism that his athletes would win more medals. (NAN)