Godwin Osaretin, Nigeria’s youth cycling champion, defeated Ese Ukpeseraye, the country’s first cycling Olympian, 2-0 in the final to earn gold in the 200-meter cycling sprint at the 2024 National Sports Festival on Thursday.
Ukpeseraye was denied the opportunity to defend the 200-meter gold she had won consecutively at the 2020 National Sports Festival in Edo and the 2022 edition hosted by Delta State as Osaretin defeated her twice in a best-of-two race to determine the 200-meter champion.
Osaretin’s triumph caused Edo and other state athletes to celebrate at the cycling finish line in Kobape, along the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway.
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.