By Femi Atolagbe

The Ondo State contingent on Sunday departed Akure, the state capital, for the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with 320 athletes.

Team Ondo will join eight other Niger Delta states to compete in 17 sporting events, which will take place from April 1 to 9, 2025.

The states will compete in the following sports: football, wrestling, boxing, table tennis, athletics, scrabble, handball, canoeing, basketball, chess, weightlifting, para-athletics, traditional wrestling, volleyball, swimming, tennis, and powerlifting.

The Chairman of the Ondo State Liaison Committee for the festival, Mrs Tolulope Adeyemi, said the 320-member contingent would participate in 17 accredited sports.

She assured that Ondo State would emerge victorious at the festival.

Adeyemi stated that over 1,000 athletes took part in the pre-trials, with the best selected for the main competition.

“Ondo is ready! We are set, and I am confident our athletes will triumph in this maiden edition of the competition. We appreciate our amiable governor for all the support we have received so far. We assure the state that we will not disappoint; we will bring back laurels and make Ondo proud,” she said.

The Niger Delta region comprises nine states: Edo, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Abia, and Imo.