Sports
AAG: Nigeria Sustains Dominance in Women Sprints …Moves To 2nd Position
Nigeria underlined her dominance of African women sprints on Monday in Maputo, Mozambique as three of her athletes swept the medals in the 100 metres at the 10th All-Africa Games.
Tidesports gathered that the trio of Damola Osayemi, Blessing Okagbare and Gloria Asume clinched the medals at stake to restate the country’s position in the event.
Osayemi ran the race in 10.9 seconds to win the gold medal, and dethroned her compatriot and African champion, Okagbare.
The U.S.-based Okagbare followed closely with a time of 11.01 seconds for the silver, while Asume took the bronze with a time of 11.26 seconds.
The men’s 100 metres race, however, had Amr Seoud of Egypt winning the gold in 10.2 seconds while Ben Youssef of Cote d’Ivoire finished second with a time of 10.28 seconds.
Nigeria’s Obinna Metu was right behind him to take the bronze medal with 10.29 seconds.
Doreen Amata of Nigeria also won gold in high jump after leaping over 1.88 metres, while her compatriot Agnes Osasuwa took the silver with a jump of 1.80 metres.
Nigeria’s Tosin Oke also won gold in the triple jump with a distance of 16.65 metres.
In the 110 metres hurdles, Nigeria’s Samuel Okon and Salim Nurudeen also won the silver and bronze medals respectively while Algeria’s Hadji Lasib took the gold.
Meanwhile, journalists covering the 10th All Africa Games here in Maputo have not been having it easy as organisers continue to demonstrate a very high level of incompetence.
From discrepancies in results of events to the non-release of daily medal table, the confusion makes it almost impossible for journalists to have a good picture of the performances of various contingents.
This has made some adventurous news reporters to send home unauthenticated medal tables, based on conjectures.
Till the time of filing in this report, the final result of the men’s100 meters final was still shrouded in controversy as two results emerged yesterday after the race. While the first version had Egypt’s Amir Ibrahim winning the gold, Nigeria’s Oghene Egwero and compatriot Obinna Metu in second and third positions respectively, the latest result reconfirmed Egypt’s Amir Ibrahin Seoud gold medal with a time of 10.20 secs and the silver medal to Ben Yusuf of Ivory Coast (10.28 secs) while Obinna Metu(10.29 secs) retained the bronze.
It could be recalled that Nigeria’s Iworima Otonye, competing in the Women’s Tripple Jump event, had her gold medal nullified after the Confederation of African Athletics had faulted the conduct of the event by “incompetent technical officials.” A faulty jump was said to have earned her the gold and the medal was withdrawn when other countries protested. Nigeria appealed and got a judgment ordering a repeat of the final event.
However, Track and Field has lifted Nigeria to the second position, at the conclusion of events last night. Athletics had garnered up to 7 gold medals. Nigeria won the 4X100m relay in the men and women events shortly after Seun Adigun won the 100m Hurdles.
“It is good that Track and Field is doing well but I know that we could have done better,” Athletics
Federation boss, Solomon Ogba said. The quartet of Agnes Osazuwa, Gloria Asumo, Demola Osayemi and Blessing Okagbare won gold for Nigeria in the 4×100 meters relay. They dusted their opponents in a time of 43 secs to bag gold.
Nigeria’s impressive showing in athletics continued with yet another gold medal in the men’s 4×100 relay as the quartet of Benjamin Adukwu, Peter Emelieze, Obinna Metu won the gold. Gloria Deborah also won gold in the partially sighted 200 meters event.
Pics 1: Fencing in action.
President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, Adeyinka Samuel, has said the country will host a unique 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships as the first sub-Saharan nation to stage the tournament, Tidesports source reports.
The championship will be held in Lagos from August 9 to 14, with the federation announcing that Rugby School Nigeria will host the event.
The Commonwealth Fencing Federation formally awarded the hosting rights for the 2026 championships to Nigeria in March 2025.
“It is the third international tournament the country will host, having also become the first to stage a junior épée World Cup, which was held in Lagos in December 2024. Nigeria also hosted the 23rd African Fencing Championships last year.
Nigeria’s hosting will be unique in several ways. First, it will be the inaugural edition on African soil, giving it historic significance. Second, we are integrating development initiatives such as an international training camp to foster technical exchange. Finally, the event will showcase African hospitality, culture, and energy, offering athletes a rich experience beyond the competition,” Samuel said on Wednesday.
“Preparations have advanced steadily across competition planning, venue readiness, logistics, athlete services, and partnerships.”
He also noted that over 24 Commonwealth nations have already registered.
“We are organising a pre-championship international training camp in Lagos to unite athletes ahead of the competition. Everything is moving in the right direction, and our focus is on delivering a world-class event that reflects Nigeria’s ability to host major international tournaments.”
The last two tournaments hosted by Nigeria were held at Charterhouse Lagos, and Samuel explained the choice of Rugby School Nigeria for this championship.
“The venue was selected for its modern, state-of-the-art facilities and its proximity to hospitality, tourism, and entertainment hubs. This ensures athletes and officials will enjoy excellent accommodation, transport, and leisure options during their stay.”
While thanking the private sector for its support in organising the championship, the president also called for greater government intervention in the fast-growing sport.
“The private sector has shown encouraging support, with institutions like Rugby School Nigeria and companies such as Flour Mills of Nigeria backing the championships. However, stronger government involvement is needed. Hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships is a milestone achievement, and we believe institutional support will help Nigeria maximise the opportunity and deliver a truly memorable event.”
The final draw was concluded at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday and posted on the body’s website.
Notably, hosts Morocco will face a North African showdown in Group A, drawn alongside Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, making Group A particularly competitive.
Group B features former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon, alongside Uganda and debutants DR Congo.
In Group C, 2015 and 2017 champions and last year’s runners-up, Mali, will meet Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Group D is led by 2023 champions Senegal, who will face South Africa (2015 runners-up),
The eight quarter-finalists from the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
The teams finishing third in each group will contest two play-off matches to determine the final two qualifiers, bringing the total number of African representatives at the global finals to ten nations.
2026 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations – Groups:
- Group A: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia
- Group B: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Uganda, DR Congo
- Group C: Mali, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique
- Group D: Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana
Tidesports source reports that Nigeria will not feature at the tournament for the second consecutive edition.
The Golden Eaglets suffered a 2-0 defeat to rivals Ghana in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B qualifiers in September 2025, dashing their hopes of advancing to the finals.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin their title defence at the 2026 Unity Cup with a semi-final clash against Zimbabwe on May 26 at The Valley in South London, Tidesports source reports.
The four-nation tournament, which also features Jamaica and India, returns to its historic venue after the success of the 2025 edition in Brentford, where Nigeria emerged champions.
The competition, scheduled to run from May 26 to 30, blends elite football with cultural celebration, bringing together Afrocentric and global diaspora communities.
Nigeria’s opening fixture against Zimbabwe serves as a rematch of their recent encounters in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, setting the stage for a highly competitive contest.
The winner will progress to the final on May 30, while the second semi-final between Jamaica and India will be played a day later.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, expressed confidence in the Super Eagles’ chances while acknowledging the quality of the opposition.
“The Nigeria Football Federation is pleased with another opportunity to see the Super Eagles compete at the highly exciting and entertaining Unity Cup Tournament,” Gusau said.
“As perennial champions, the Super Eagles will look to retain their title again this summer, even as they will not underrate the other participating teams viz India, Jamaica and Zimbabwe. The tournament promises to be explosive and that is the setting in which the Super Eagles thrive best.”
The Unity Cup will culminate in a finals day featuring both the third-place play-off and the final, alongside a festival atmosphere that includes cultural showcases, food exhibitions, and live performances.
Zimbabwe Football Association president Nqobile Magwizi described his nation’s participation as a landmark moment, highlighting the opportunity to compete on an international stage in England for the first time.
“The Unity Cup represents far more than a celebration of football and culture, it is a powerful platform that reflects Zimbabwe football’s growing ambition to compete, perform, and excel on the global stage,” Magwizi said.
With Nigeria seeking to retain their crown and rivals eager to make their mark, the opening clash against Zimbabwe is expected to set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested and culturally vibrant tournament.
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