Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Delta-born Nigerian sprint star Divine Oduduru on his emergence as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Male Athlete of the Year in the United States of America.

The Governor also expressed excitement that Oduduru equally got nominated for the Bow man award, the highest award in the US for Collegiate Athletes – being the second Nigerian to be so nominated after Blessing Okagbare, equally from Delta State.

Okowa in a statement in Asaba on Friday said: “Oduduru’s nomination is sequel to his superlative performance this season in the US Collegiate Championships, winning the 200m Indoor title, the 100m and 200m outdoor titles in 9.86secs and 19.73secs respectively.

“Oduduru, who was a student of West End College Asaba before he travelled to the US on scholarship at the Texas Tech University, Lubbock, was discovered at the annual Awoture Eleyae Junior Athletics Competition in Delta State.

“I also wish to congratulate other Delta athletes who have done well like Raymond Ekevwo, who led Florida Central University to break the NCAA 4×100m record and ran the second fastest time of 10.02secs behind Divine Oduduru in more than ten years. Another Deltan, Mr. Itsekiri Usheoritse, also ran the third fastest time of 10.07secs behind Oduduru and Ekevwo.

“We are grateful to God because they are part of the modest contributions of Delta State to Sports Development in Nigeria. It will be recalled that all of them including Ese Brume, Uruemu Odjesa, Favour Ofili, Princess Kara, Hannah Kemele and a host of others are products of our yearly Awoture Eleyae Junior Athletics Programme.

“In the build up to this year’s programme holding from 20th-22nd June at the Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro Stadium, i urge all our young Athletes to be encouraged by the successes recorded by Divine Oduduru and others to put in their best and be counted.”

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