Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Thursday congratulated 16-year-old Oghenegaren Esiovwa-Thompson on his historic gold medal triumph at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

The athlete, an indigene of Osubi in Okpe council area, made history by winning Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s Under-23 epee event at the championship.

The governor, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Festus Ahon, described the teenager’s success as a remarkable achievement that had brought honour and pride to Delta and Nigeria.

He hailed the athlete for his exceptional talent, determination and composure, particularly his ability to overcome more experienced opponents on his way to the historic victory.

According to Mr Oborevwori, the 16-year-old, competing for Nigeria for the first time after switching allegiance from England, produced an impressive run, defeating three Indian opponents en route to the final.

“He crowned his performance with a commanding 15-5 victory over Asian champion Lokesh Verma of India in the final, while India’s Godwin Natarajan and Ashwini Shaurya settled for bronze medals.

“Esiovwa-Thompson had earlier gone unbeaten in Pool 4 to secure a bye into the round of 16. He subsequently defeated South Africa’s Mathobela 15-7 before overpowering an Indian opponent 15-2 in the quarter-final. In the semi-final, he overcame another strong challenge from India’s Ashwini Shaurya, edging him 15-11 to book his place in the final,” the Delta governor explained.

Mr Oborevwori said the feat was a testament to the potential of young people from the state when provided with the right environment, encouragement and opportunities to excel. He praised the fencer’s family, coaches and all those who had contributed to his development, urging the teenage athlete to remain focused and continue striving for greater accomplishments on the international stage.

The governor assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that promote youth development and sports excellence, noting that the achievements of young athletes like the teenager would inspire a new generation of Delta youths.

(NAN)