Host state Delta has emerged overall winner of the 9th edition of the National Youth Games, finishing with the highest medal haul of 77 at the close of competition in Asaba.
However, in a surprising twist, Lagos State secured more gold medals than any other state, raising questions about the fairness of medal ranking in the games.
According to the official medal summary released by the National Sports Commission, Delta clinched 23 gold, 27 silver, and 27 bronze medals to finish at the top of the table.
Lagos, on the other hand, dominated the gold chart with 38 gold, 18 silver, and 16 bronze medals, totaling 72 medals and placing second overall.
Edo State secured third place with 27 gold, 11 silver, and 16 bronze, bringing its tally to 54 medals. Abia and Kwara rounded off the top five with 28 and 27 medals respectively.
While Delta’s first-place finish reflects the consistency of its athletes across multiple sports, critics argue that gold medals, the ultimate symbol of victory in competitive sports, should carry more weight in ranking than total medal count.
By that standard, Lagos would have topped the table, followed by Edo, with Delta settling for third.
Observers have noted that prioritizing overall medal count over gold supremacy could undermine the competitive essence of the games.
“The glory of sport lies in finishing first, not merely accumulating medals,” one analyst commented, insisting that the National Sports Commission should revisit its ranking system for future editions.
Nevertheless, Delta’s performance highlighted the state’s depth in grassroots sports development, with athletes excelling in a wide spread of events.
Hosting the competition also gave the state an opportunity to showcase its facilities and organizational capacity.
The controversy over medal ranking is likely to dominate post-games conversations, with many sports stakeholders calling for clearer, standardized criteria that reward excellence without bias.
