Sports

ITTF World Team Championships: Nigeria, Egypt Maintain 2nd Tier Position

Published

10 years ago

March 7, 2016

After failing to
qualify to the elite division at the biennial International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Team Championships, Nigeria and Egypt will again campaign in second tier in 2018.
An ITTF statement said at the weekend in Lagos that from the rating of teams, Egypt finished ahead of Nigeria in the rankings
It explained that it was so because Egypt made it to the semi-finals stage, while Nigeria did not advance beyond the quarter-finals round.
As it is, Egypt is ranked 27th, while Nigeria occupies 29th place at the championships which ended yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the race for the African sole slot in the men’s team event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games continues between Nigeria and Egypt.
Tidesports reports that players from both countries aim to garner points to become the best team from the continent.
With the absence of Nigerian women team, Egypt has automatically qualified for the women’s team event of the Olympic Games in Brazil.
Nigeria will have to wait for the decision of ITTF to know its fate in the women’s cadre after the West African side failed to make it to the tournament.
Also, Asian giants China and Japan will battle for the titles in the men and women finals of the competition.
To berth in the final of the men’s event, China edged out South Korea 3-0, while Japan worked hard for their 3-1 win over giant killing English team.
For the women’s final, it is China and Japan again after China beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 with Japan dismissing Korea DPR 3-1.
Over 90 teams from across the world are taking part in the biggest tournament in the ITTF calendar which will end on Sunday.

Sports

LGA Boss Pledges To Reintroduce School Sports

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The chairman of the Khana Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, Bariere Thomas, has revealed that plans are underway to commence school sports at the primary and secondary school levels in the area.

According to him, school sports that were primarily used to discover young talents had become a thing of the past, adding that one of the ways to discover young talents is to organize programs that will expose talents at the grassroots level.

Thomas said this on Saturday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after a novelty football match between Khana All-Stars and council appointees.

The match was held to mark the birthday of Felix Ibor, the Supervisor for Education in Khana LGA, at the Bori Police Station field.

The LGA boss reiterated that organizing competitive sporting events in primary and secondary schools is one of the best ways to bring out the best in young people and help to achieve their potential.

“What we are doing in the Khana Local Government Area is to consolidate on the sports we know, which are wrestling, cycling, football, and others,” he said.

He added that he is concerned about the competitive nature of wrestling on the global stage; at Khana LGA, for instance, they are focusing on how to consolidate the sports they know more about.

Thomas described Felix Ibor as an academic whom he has known and worked with since before he became LGA chairman.

He commended both teams for the novelty match, saying that it was held to celebrate Ibor’s birthday.

Ibor thanked the chairman and both teams for celebrating with him, and he prayed that God would also bless them.

Meanwhile, Ibor also presented a set of Jessy to the chairman for the council team.

Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Ezechukwu Eyes Double Gold In African Champs

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

Teenage Nigerian sprinter Miracle Ezechukwu has set her sights on winning both the 100m and 4x100m relay titles at the 24th African Athletics Championships in Accra, while also targeting a new personal best in the process, Tidesports source.

Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.

The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.

“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.

“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.

Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.

She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.

“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.

The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.

Sports

Amusan Targets Third African Hurdles Title In Accra

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

World record holder and five-time national champion Tobi Amusan will target a third African 100 metres hurdles title as she begins her campaign at the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, which gets underway at the University of Ghana

Amusan arrives with an impressive record at the continental championships, having won five gold medals across individual and relay events.

She won the 100m and 4x100m relay titles at Asaba 2018, repeated the sprint hurdles and relay double at Mauritius 2022, and added another relay gold at Douala 2024.

She was, however, expected to challenge for a third 100m hurdles crown in Douala but did not compete in the individual event for personal reasons, instead featuring in the relay.

Liberia’s Ebony Morrison is the reigning champion in the women’s 100mH after setting a championship record of 12.7s, ahead of South Africa’s Marione Fourie and Madagascar’s Sidonie Fiadanantsoa.

Even though Amusan is expected to have an easy path to reclaiming the title, compatriots Adaobi Tabugbo and Janet Sunday will be in contention to challenge her.

Tabugbo is familiar with the championship stage, having previously placed fifth in the 100mH at Douala 2024 while also winning relay gold alongside Amusan.