Sports
Two Nigerian Athletes For Paris Marathon

Marathoners finishing their race
Two Nigerian athletes
that emerged as winners at the last Lagos City Marathon are to be sponsored to the April 3 Paris Marathon.
The two are Sharubutu Philibus, 27, from Nassarawa and Dinatu Yohanna, 26, who would don the Nigerian national colours at the event, courtesy of Schneider Electric, a Lagos-based subsidiary of a multinational company.
Ironically, the main company is the title sponsor of the Paris Marathon.
Philibus, who spoke on behalf of his colleague at a news conference called by the Office of the Lagos City Marathon to unveil them, said he was proud to be associated with the event.
“I am proud of the Lagos City Marathon. It is the best in the world.’’
Earlier, Deji Tinubu, the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) held on February 6 said, although Schneider Electric did not participate during the event, they were interested in being a part of the success story of the marathon.
“I am happy to announce to you that the company’s commitment toward bankrolling these two athletes to the Paris event is part of the gains that Lagos is reaping from hosting such a big event.
“I can assure you that we will reap more benefits from the event. Indeed, the company says it will be part of the future marathon events involving Lagos State,’’ Tinubu said.
Solomon Ogba, the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) hailed Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos for his enthusiasm in backing the staging of the marathon, which was supported by Access Bank.
“The marathon has opened a new vista. Long distance racing was a way of life in the 1960s and the ‘70s. Lagos is only spear-heading a resurgence of what has been a part of the country in the past.’’
According to him, it existed then as a cross country, usually held at weekends and also in the secondary schools.
“We at AFN have decided to endorse the Lagos marathon as a full marathon — indeed the flagship — while states like Uyo, Port Harcourt, Bauchi and Warri, itching to stage such an event, will be restricted to between 10 to 15 kilometre races.
The representative of the company, Anne Eze, the Field Marketing Director, said that they were associating with Lagos as a way of reinforcing their commitment to the state that had taken the bold step to host the event.
“We are a global brand in the energy business. We support life because electricity, which is our core mandate, supports better life with sustainable electricity supply.’’
She said that Schneider Electric’s Paris Marathon would provide a perfect opportunity to link their brand to the spirit and value embodied by the timeless challenge of the marathon and focus on the people, technologies and the ability to do things differently.
Sports
European Giants Circle For Osimhen
Victor Osimhen will be the centre of attention as several of Europe’s biggest clubs send scouts to yesrerday’s Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, with the Nigerian forward set to play a decisive role in the Super Lig title race
Representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Juventus were expected to be present at Rams Park, underlining the scale of interest in both the fixture and its standout performers.
Reports in Turkish media indicate that the derby will serve not only as a key moment in the domestic title race but also as a platform for transfer discussions and strategic collaborations between clubs.
According to those reports, top European sides have secured places at the stadium with a dual purpose.
“Europe’s leading representatives will be present at the stadium within the framework of both player transfer and cooperation,” ,” Milliyet reported.
“Real Madrid, Barcelona, among many clubs, including Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Napoli and Juventus, have made reservations for today’s match.”
Osimhen was expected to be among the primary players under observation, alongside teammates Baris Yilmaz and Gabriel Sara, with scouts closely monitoring their performances in one of the most high-profile fixtures in Turkish football.
The report further noted, “Victor Osimhen, Yilmaz and Sara were at the top of the watch list and that the interest would mainly be in these players.”
It also highlighted broader discussions beyond player recruitment, stating, “Apart from this, ideas will be exchanged for strengthening relations between the clubs and new joint agreements.”
The Nigerian striker’s presence came at a crucial point in the season, with Galatasaray holding a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce and knowing that victory would all but secure the league title with three matches remaining.
Osimhen recently returned from injury, making a brief appearance in the cup defeat to Genclerbirligi after missing four games, a period during which Galatasaray’s form showed signs of inconsistency.
His absence coincided with a mixed run of results in April, where the league leaders recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, including a loss to Trabzonspor and a draw at home to Kocaelispor.
Defensively, Galatasaray have also shown vulnerability, conceding in each of their last six matches across all competitions, a concern ahead of a fixture that could define their campaign.
The derby follows disappointment in the Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Genclerbirligi, while Fenerbahce were also knocked out after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor
Sports
Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push
A tennis tournament held in honour of Olusola Odumosu, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps FCT Command, has been described as a major step towards grassroots sports development and youth engagement.
The three-day competition, staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, began midweek , last week and ended on Friday, attracting young players across different categories.
On the court, top-ranked player Canice Abua won the men’s singles title after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Lucky Danjuma, who is ranked fourth nationally.
In the boys’ category, Unity Alex defeated Khaleed Dalha in straight sets to win the title, while Salvation Alex triumphed over Opeyemi Olademeji to win the girls’ singles event.
Odumosu, who marked his birthday with the event, said the initiative was designed to uncover young talent and strengthen the foundation of tennis development in Nigeria.
Sports
W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, opened their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers with a dominant 6-0 victory over Generation Next in Abuja as head coach Akeem Ishola Busari continues to shape his squad.
The emphatic win came during a 60-minute friendly at the Goal Project at the weekend, where the Flamingos took control early and led 4-0 at half-time before the match was halted in the 54th minute due to heavy rain.
Goals were spread across the squad, with Shavih Istifanus opening the scoring inside the first minute, followed by a brace from Tobiloba Sarafa in the 10th and 23rd minutes.
Harmony Chidi added the fourth in the 28th minute, while Aminat Adebisi struck just before half-time and Precious Paul completed the scoring early in the second half.
The match forms part of a busy training camp in Abuja, where Busari has invited 36 players as Nigeria step up preparations for their second-round qualifier against Guinea.
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