Team Bayelsa Shines in the Admiral Festus Poubeni National Boat Race.

  Team Bayelsa Shines in the Admiral Festus Poubeni National Boat Race.   By Hananeel Jackson   Team Bayelsa produced a five star performance in Abuja at the annual Admiral Porbeni National boat race and canoeing championship after days of intense contest.   Team Bayelsa departed Bayelsa State capital with sixteen contingent, including thirteen athletes and three officials, the head coach of the Bayelsa State Canoeing, Rowing and Kayak Association Inifa Gagbe, assistant coach Oyee Profit as well as the Secretary to the Association Mrs. Erekposeigha Timitimi-Funwei.   The Bayelsa State contingent hauled a total of thirteen medals which comprises, four gold, four silver and five bronze medal to earn second place.   Neighbors Delta State finished first with twenty eight medal, eleven gold, ten silver, seven bronze while Rivers State could only manage two gold.   Top performer for the showpiece was Bayelsa State sensation Bello Powei who won gold in 200 metres conoeing and 500 metres event.   Powei broke her own record of 50.00 seconds in the 200m women event at the Morocco 2019 Africa Games when she returned a faster time of 42.90 seconds in the same event at the 2021 Admiral Porbeni National Boat Race.   Another Bayelsan paghamotei Pere also put smiles on the faces of the fans in the canoeing event as he won mixed double canoeing 200m and 500m with Bello Ayomide Powei.   The performance in Abuja has earned some of the athletes official invitation for the Africa Rowing championship in Tunisia next month.   Olympian Powei from Bayelsa state and Micheal Moses of Delta state emerged overall champions in the female and male categories of the 2022 Admiral Porbeni national boat race,with 130 athletes from 13 states of the federation.   Each gold medalist was rewarded with N100,000; Silver 70,000; and Bronze 50,000, along with certificates for all participants.   The competition was witnessed by officials from the International Canoe Federation (ICF), African Canoe confederation,The Nigerian Navy, NRSCF and Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, among others.