Team Delta has emerged as the champion of the 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012, after amassing the highest number of medals at the 13-day sports fiesta.

For winning the competition, Delta will be rewarded with N20 million promised by President Goodluck Jonathan to the eventual winner.

Over 8,000 athletes competed in 25 events at the festival, which started November 27 and ends December is being concluded this hour with a colourful ceremony at the main venue, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

Giving details of how the states fared, the Games official website, www.eko2012ng.com, said:

“With 114 gold, 99 silver and 75 bronze medals, Delta dethroned the defending champion, Rivers, which finished second amassed 76 gold, 71 silver and 70 bronze medals.

“The host of the competition, Lagos got 64 gold, Lagos had 47 silver and 71 bronze medals.

“Edo finished fourth with 25 gold, 23 silver and 44 bronze medals, while Bayelsa occupied the fifth position with 19 gold, 17 silver and 22 bronze medals.

“Also among the top 10 is Ondo, which is sixth with 18 gold, 12 silver and 28 bronze medals, “Ogun is seventh with 15 gold, 22 silver and 31 bronze medals.

“Host of the next festival, Cross River placed eight with 12 gold, 14 silver and 23 bronze medals, while Oyo has 12 gold, 13 silver and 17 bronze medals. The tenth placed team is Akwa Ibom which has seven gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze medals.

“29 states have at least one gold, while eight remaining states are without any gold medal.

“One significant improvement from previous festivals is that all the participating states won medals with the least state being Katsina, which has three bronze medals to finish 37 on the medal table.”

•Photo: Track and field action from the Games.