After days of thrilling competition at the Hamilton Garden, the Nigeria Television Authority will lock horns with Arise TV in the final of the 2024 SWAN Cup, tagged the Clinton Thompson Cup.

NTA secured their place in the final with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Rhythm FM in the semi-final, with forward Awe Stephen netting a brace to bring his tournament goal tally to 11.

Meanwhile, Arise TV overcame a determined Radio Bayelsa side in a pulsating 4-2 semi-final clash, widely regarded as the “final before the final.”

Goals from Anthony Alabrah, Ovieteme George, and John Angese sealed the win for Arise TV, with Angese now chasing Stephen in the tournament’s goal race with seven strikes.

The grand finale will take place on Friday at 10:30 a.m.at the Hamilton Garden, followed by an award ceremony at 3:30 p.m. at the NUJ Press Centre in Ekeki, Yenagoa.

In the indoor games segment of the SWAN Week, George Ameli of Niger Delta Television clinched the Scrabble championship at the Coastal Fortress Table Tennis Hall. Ameli defeated NUJ Week champion

Ebi Appah in the semi-finals before overpowering Diseye Dielagha of Bayelsa State Newspaper Corporation in the final with a cumulative score of +383.

In chess, Kingsley Abidde of Radio Bayelsa emerged victorious, outlasting Daniel Ebikienmo Solomon of Rhythm FM in a tense, hours-long encounter.

The table tennis crown went to Sunday Clinton Izun of New Media, who defeated NUJ Week champion Diseye Dielagha of New Waves in two sets (21-13, 25-21).

Ekaunkumo Amgbare of United Correspondents Chapel claimed third place after beating Orok Joseph of NTA.

The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, Ama-ebi Ebikpolade Stow, officially declared the indoor games open and reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to supporting SWAN Bayelsa.

He emphasised that the collaboration aims to foster sports development in the state, particularly ahead of the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Stow announced cash prizes for the table tennis winners: ₦40,000 for the champion, ₦20,000 for the runner-up, and ₦10,000 for the third place.

He also revealed that the table tennis champion, Sunday Clinton Izu, automatically qualifies as a member of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Club.
|TheWill|