Taekwondo – – It was an inspiring outing by heavily pregnant Aminat Idrees who won a gold medal for Lagos at the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) in Benin, Edo State.

Aminat Idrees who is 8 months pregnant won gold in the Mixed Poomsae category in Taekwondo alongside her male counterpart, Arowora Roqeeb.

This is also Team Lagos’ first gold at Edo 2020.

She also won Silver in the female team Poomsae category and an individual bronze in the same category making her one of the leading medalists at the festival.

Olympic bound, Enku Ewa Ekuta also won gold in the 63kg category.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare yesterday declared open the 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.

Dare stood in for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who was billed to declare the ‘Nigeria Olympics’ open but was conspicuously absent.

According to the programme of events released on Monday by the Main Organising Committee, Osinbajo was expected at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium where he was scheduled to declare the Festival opened as well as commission the renovated stadium.

It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari was originally scheduled to declare open the 20th National Sports Festival but his recent medical trip to London had bestowed the responsibility on his deputy, Osinbajo.

The absence of the Vice-President at the opening ceremony has set tongues wagging considering that he was in Benin City earlier in the day and had visited the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare N’Ogidgan 11 before returning to Abuja.

In the absence of Osinbajo, the Minister of sports, Dare who declared open the biennial games emphasized that the 20th National Sports Festival will ensure strict adherence to the safety protocols of Covid-19 throughout the games.

Daily sports