Swimmers from Delta on Wednesday set new records in swimming at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Edo.
Evelyn Nmor of Delta completed the 200 metres breaststroke, women category, at 2.51.05 seconds, breaking the festival record of 2.54.93 she set in 2018 at the 19th NSF in Abuja.
Ifeachukwu Nmor, also of Delta, set a new record in the 100 meters butterfly, men category, with 56.48 seconds, beating the previous record of 57.69 seconds by Yeiyah Yellow of Ogun, who emerged second in the competition.
Akiayega Timipane-Ere of Delta also broke a record in the 50 metres butterfly, women category, with 29.34 seconds, breaking the record of 29.87 seconds set by Chinelo Iyadi, also of Delta at the Abuja 2018.
Gagbe Ifiezegbe of Bayelsa, however, pulled a surprise against the record holder in the 200 meters freestyle, women category, Deborah Okpochini of Delta.
Ifiezegbe broke the 2.20.28 seconds completion time set at the 2018 NSF with the 2.17.05 record time in the race Okpochini also participated in.
Meanwhile, Delta swept five gold medals and one silver of the six categories of swimming competitions decided at the festival on Wednesday evening, Bayelsa won one gold while the host Edo won three silver medals and one bronze.
Nmor, the new record holder in the 200 meters breaststroke, women category, attributed the feat to persistent trainings despite the several postponements.
“I did not expect it because that girl (Rachael Tonjo) was my champion and I didn’t expect that I could win her.
“This 200 meters I must beat her because this 200 metres, I don’t use to play with anybody; this is my major event.
“Even the last time she beat me in 50 metres, it was because that was not my major event,” she said.
But for Ifiezegbe, she explained that it was an avenue to reclaim her lost glory.
“Before, I was the champion though, but in 2018, she (Deborah Okpochini) beat me.
“She was winning the gold medals; I won 14 silvers in that competition, but I told myself because they used to call me golden girl.
“But when it got to Abuja, I won silvers all through and I said I need to come back to golden girl.
“So, I had to work for it. I had been training for this competition before they started shifting it,” she said. (NAN)
