A teenage cycling prodigy from Edo State, Osaretin Godwin, stole the spotlight on Wednesday at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Osaretin delivered a surprise victory in the women’s 200m sprint heat, finishing ahead of Nigeria’s first cycling Olympian, Ese Ukpeseraye, to book her place in the semi-finals.
The two riders competed in the same heat, with the crowd erupting in cheers as the young star crossed the finish line first.
Her performance marks a significant breakthrough, having competed as a junior cyclist at the last edition of the Festival in Asaba, Delta State, where she narrowly missed out on a medal while racing against more experienced riders like Ukpeseraye and Oyo State’s Joke Durogbade.
Now a rising star, Osaretin’s win has shifted attention to Thursday’s semi-final and final rounds, where many are eager to see whether Ukpeseraye can bounce back and defend her title—or if the teenage sensation will complete her fairytale run with a gold medal.