Team Bayelsa has secured qualification in eight team sports for the maiden National Intermediate Games after two days of competition at the South-South zonal elimination in Calabar, Cross River State.
Bayelsa arrived in Calabar with a 400-man contingent of athletes and officials to compete in both male and female categories ahead of the national finals slated for Lagos next year.
In Abula, the state qualified in both categories. The male team finished first in the zone ahead of Delta, while the female team finished second to qualify for the national finals.
In volleyball, the women’s team finished first after beating Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta. In beach volleyball, the male team also qualified after victories over Rivers and Akwa Ibom, while the female team failed to qualify.
In basketball, Bayelsa finished second in the women’s event behind Delta. The team lost narrowly 29-30 to Delta in the deciding match after beating hosts Cross River and Rivers in earlier games.
In handball, Bayelsa qualified in both male and female categories, while in hockey, the women’s team finished second to secure qualification.
The eight qualifications are Abula (male and female), volleyball (women), beach volleyball (men), basketball (women), handball (male and female) and hockey (women).
Both male and female teams, however, failed to qualify in football. The male team lost 1-2 to Cross River in the last group game which it needed to win to progress. The state also failed to qualify in beach volleyball (women), volleyball (men), basketball (men) and hockey (men).
Meanwhile, the zonal elimination for the 23rd National Sports Festival, scheduled for Enugu from November 27 to December 11, 2026, will begin on Sunday, September 14, at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
