Obia takes early lead

Rivers State born Obia Inyingiyikabo grabbed three gold medals in the fifty metres butterfly, one hundred meters back stroke and two hundred meters medley in the opening day of the third Governor Odili cup swimming championships, in Port Harcourt.

Obia who just returned from Burkina Faso where she won a basketful of gold medals at the West African University Games had to shake off the lethargy of fatigue to win her first three medals at the championships. She told www.nigeriasports.com at the end of the days events that she posted slow times because she had not rested in the last ten days. "Yes, I have not had time to rest. I just got back from Burkina Faso yesterday and hear I am today, in this championship. I agree I won my first three gold medals today, but my times should have been much better if I had enough rest between the two championships"

In the male category, River born Eric Williams got a gold the one hundred meters breast stroke. Other top performances of the day were Gentle Offoin who picked two gold medals for Bayelsa State in the two hundred meters freestyle and two hundred meters medley. Other winners were Kehinde Kowei of Ondo in the two hundred meters women freestyle, Walter Miebi in the one hundred men back stroke, Okiko Kpiliboh in the eight hundred meters men freestyle and Musa Bakare of Edo State in the fifty meters butterfly.

Full results after day one of the championships

200m men freestyle
Gold- Gentle Offoin- Bayelsa State
Silver- Otite Kpilibor- Ondo State
Bronze- Cletus Odiche- Delta Force

200m women freestyle
Gold- Kehinde Kowei- Ondo State
Silver- Meme James- Edo State
Bronze- Blessing Forcados- Delta Force

100m men Backstroke
Gold- Walter Miebi- Bayelsa State
Silver- Lateef Aliasun- Edo State
Bronze- Oyei Profit- Bayelsa State

100m women Backstoke
Gold- Obia Inyingiyikabo- Rivers State
Silver- Adedayo Orimoloye- Navy Sports Club
Bronze- Gloria Momor- Bauchi State

200m medley men
Gold- Gentle Offoin- Bayelsa State
Silver- Ben Orimoloye- Edo State
Bronze- Monday Mogbojuri- Ondo State

800m freestyle men
Gold- Okiko Kpilibor- Ondo State
Silver- Cletus Odiche- Delta Force
Bronze- Alaba Ilurime- Edo State

200m medley women
Gold- Obia Inyingiyikabo- Rivers State
Silver- Adedayo Orimoloye- Ondo State
Bronze- Josephine Ayejoh- Edo state

50m butterfly men
Gold- Musa Bakare- Edo State
Silver- Ben Orimoloye- Edo State
Bronze- Sunny Ayejoh- Bayelsa State

50m butterfly women
Gold- Obia Inyingiyikabo- Rivers State
Silver- Adedayo Orimoloye- Nigerian Navy
Bronze- Amatu Micheal - Bayelsa State

100m breaststroke men
Gold- Eric Williams- Rivers State
Silver- IgbekdeAyenuwa- Edo State
Bronze- Amatu Mogbojuri- Ondo State

100 m breaststroke women
Gold- Labake Oriretan- Navy Sports Club
Silver- Duere Dennis- Delta Force
Bronze- Fornados Blessing- Delta Force