Nigeria’s junior cycling champion, Godwin Osaretin, claimed gold in the 200m cycling sprint at the 2024 National Sports Festival on Thursday, beating Nigeria’s first cycling Olympian, Ese Ukpeseraye, 2-0 in the final, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
In a best-of-two races to determine the 200m champion, Osaretin beat Ukpeseraye twice to deny her the defence of the 200m gold she has won consecutively at the 2020 National Sports Festival held in Edo and the 2022 edition hosted by Delta State.
Osaretin’s victory sent the cycling finish line near Kobape, along the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway, into jubilation by Edo athletes and athletes from other states.
Ukpeseraye has raised her hands up in celebration, thinking she crossed the finish line before Osaretin, but a video photo finish showed Osaretin’s bicycle crossed the line by some seconds before hers.
Ukpeseraye, now representing Rivers State, settled for the silver while the bronze went to Mary Samuel of Delta State.
In the men’s 200m sprint, Kwara State won the gold, Delta took silver, while Edo settled for the bronze.
