Reigning champions, Team Delta, have taken an early lead at the 2024 National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as they begin their quest for a fifth consecutive title.

After just two days of competition, Delta has climbed to the top of the medals table with three gold and one silver medal, overtaking early leaders Team Cross River. Delta's impressive start was spearheaded by Confidence Onyema, who secured two gold medals in Kung Fu, while Favour Mike and Edirin Agha contributed with a gold and silver in weightlifting, respectively.

Team Cross River, who briefly held the top position, now sits in second place with three gold medals. Their medals came courtesy of Kalu Ufiem, who dominated the 55kg weightlifting category with a lift of 94kg, achieving a clean sweep in the division.

The Invited Junior Athletes, a new addition to this year's festival, have made an immediate impact by securing third place on the table with two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Their strong showing was driven by Amarachi Chijioke, who claimed two gold medals in weightlifting events.

Team Lagos currently occupies fourth place after Ronke Olarinoye clinched the first gold medal of the 2024 NSF in the women's 45kg weightlifting category. Lagos has accumulated one gold and one bronze medal so far.

Teams Bayelsa and Rivers are tied in fifth position with two silver and one bronze each, while Team Oyo holds seventh place with one silver and one bronze. Team Ekiti rounds out the current standings with a single bronze medal won during Monday's weightlifting contests.

The 2024 National Sports Festival officially kicked off with an opening ceremony on Sunday at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, but competitions began earlier at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Sagamu, with weightlifting emerging as the medal-rich sport in the opening days.

This year's festival features over 15,000 athletes competing across individual and team events, with a total of 2,150 medals up for grabs in 549 events. The medal pool includes 626 gold, 626 silver, and 898 bronze medals, making this edition one of the largest and most competitive in the festival's history.

A notable innovation in the 2024 NSF is the introduction of the Invited Junior Athletes category, designed to integrate emerging talent with established competitors. This inclusion not only raises the competition's profile but also provides young athletes with a critical platform to showcase their talents on a national stage.

This marks the second time Ogun State is hosting the National Sports Festival, having first done so in 2006. With the competition just beginning, sports enthusiasts across Nigeria are eagerly watching to see if Team Delta can maintain their dominance and secure their fifth consecutive title in what is often referred to as Nigeria's own Olympic Games.