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Paul Bright Kolade, Taekwondo coach and multiple gold medalist, has expressed pride in the dominant performance of the state of Delta at the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Abeokuta, state of Ogun.
The Delta team emerged general winners with 122 gold, 96 silver and 105 bronze medals, maintaining its state as the most consistent power of the festival.
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Talking with Sports247Kolade, who represented Delta at the Kyorugi (fighting) event of Taekwondo, clung to this was his fourth consecutive gold medal in the NSF.
“I have been in sport for 27 years and I have won consecutive for more than four festivals now. I just defended my title as a gold medalist for the fourth time.”
Kolade is also part of the coaches team and is proud to be part of a team that constantly offers results.
“When you ask me how many states we have in Nigeria in terms of sports, I will tell you two: the state of Delta and others. We are always the king of festivals.”
Despite the celebrations, he recognized the challenges faced during the preparations, particularly the short camp period.
“In the state of Delta, we just camp for two weeks. That is a great challenge when you are preparing for something like the Nigeria Olympics.”
In the competition in this year’s event, Kolad said that the gap between Delta and the runner -up states is being reduced, which makes it clear that other states are improving and preparing to dethrone the champions.
“The margin is not so wide. It means that other states are planning and training to beat us. So we have to continue moving and get the best, especially when we head to Enugu 2026”.
Looking towards the future, Kolade emphasized the importance of early and consistent preparation. He reaffirmed Delta’s preparation to defend his crown in the next edition.
“With regard to the state of Delta, we are always ready. We are there again to retain the title.”
His closing message asked Nigeria to invest in sports, pointing to his role in youth development and social change.
“The sport takes the touts from the streets. We need to do everything possible to invest. And for my athletes, they must look beyond the festival and train to represent Nigeria in the All-Frican Games in 2027”.
Bright Kolade is still a strong voice in Nigerian sports of Taekwondo and Base, combining years of competitive excellence with passion for promoting future champions.
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