Sports
Minister Tasks Federations On Preparations …Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has urged national sports federations to commence preparations ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in order to achieve success.
Dalung who spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2017 National Karate Open Championship in Abuja said sports federations hoping to win laurels at the 2020 Olympics must commence preparations early.
Represented by the Director of the Sports Ministry’s Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD), Tayo Oreweme, the minister noted that the Tokyo Games would be karate’s first Olympic outing.
“This will be the first time karate will feature at the Games, hence the need to commence preparations and be part of that history,’’ he said.
Dalung said it was important that preparation should commence immediately in view of the need for the Karate Federation of Nigeria to have its athletes qualify for the Games.
“I hope that the federation’s technical team has been able to identify high-profile athletes from this championship who will be nurtured to stardom to win medals at the Olympics.
“To qualify for the Olympics, all hands must be on deck.
“I want to encourage the federation to spread its tentacles, to get to the corporate and private organisations, as well as the World Karate Federation, for financial and technical support which will ensure successful outings at the qualifying competitions,” he said.
Dalung also called on the national federations to concentrate more on constant organisation of zonal and national competitions for all age categories.
“This is what will help you to identify and nurture potential athletes to represent Nigeria at international competitions,’’ the minister said.
Earlier, President of the federation, Silas Agara, had said karate was becoming a global sport capable of building bridges of love, friendship and cooperation among nations.
“It is for this reason that its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has come to us as a positive development.
“It is my hope and expectation that all stakeholders, athletes, coaches, referees, administrators and sponsors will strive to make our collective dream come true in our determination to place our country on the map of world recognition.
“I urge all participants in the national championship to commit themselves to the sport with all sense of patriotism, having in mind that the essence of participating in competitions is not only the euphoria of winning.
“Have it in mind that there is more fulfilment in the coming together to enhance national integration,’’ he said.
Agara restated the federation’s resolve to open up opportunities for all athletes, regardless of gender, class or age, in order to enable sportsmen and women realise their aspirations.
He promised to ensure equal development and promotion of karate in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT through sustained courses, seminars, competitions and provision of access to facilities.
Agara said no stone would be left unturned as the federation sets out to identify athletes who possessed the needed potential for the 2020 Olympics.
Tidesports source gathered that FCT and Lagos won gold in the Karate female and male team events respectively.
In a bid to have more young talented Nigerians to play professional football abroad, Johnny Ogbah, a sports lawyer and football intermediary, has called on parents to enroll their children in Vector Programme.
He stated that the programme is in conjunction with Conventry Football Club in United Kingdom (UK), saying that the programme includes academics where a child can acquire a degree.
Ogbah, made the call while addressing sports journalists recently in Port Harcourt, as the programme will admit students into Brooke College between the age of 11 and 18 Football Academy.
The major objective of Vector Programme is to give the young ones a career through sports and good education. The programme does not train people on football only but also other things that is related to sporting environment, he said.
According to him, more than 20 Nigerians have benefited from the programme on scholarship and most of them are now playing football in top clubs in Europe.
“Vector programme was poised to create an avenue to give people to play football to the highest level.
Apart from football the child can also have quality education. It will interest you to know that those in Vector programme play friendly games that attracts scouts from different countries and football clubs.
The programme doesn’t train you on only football but also train people on everything that is associated to sports”, Ogbah said.
The former Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) player further disclosed Vector programme pathways provides the practice opportunities that players need if they are to successfully graduate as a professional player.
By: Tonye Orabere
The Head Coach of Khana FC in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Sam Ledor, has blamed his players as they were unable to convert scoring chances.
According to him, if those chances created in their opening match against Jet Bomber FC at the ongoing Nation wide League One (NLO), in Omoku centre were converted, it would have given them victory.
Ledor, said this on Saturday in a chat with Tidesports shortly after they played goalless draw against Jet Bomber FC in their opening match in 2024 NLO Division in Omoku, Rivers State.
“ We created a lot of scoring chances but could not find the net”, he said.
He explained that playing goalless draw is not a bad result in football but in a competition like this, they need to score goals and win matches.
“ My brother, we missed a lot of scoring chances which is not good. I trainned my players on how to create chances and to convert them.
“ What is important in a competition is winning but as we did not lose the game, we will look forward for our next game.
“We will go back to the drawing board and correct the grey areas in our game and ensure we get better results in our next outing.
“Today’s game is gone, what we need to do is to make sure we win our next game,” he stated.
He pointed out that no game comes easy but the effort you put in will give good result. They tried their best today and the result was good for both teams but we need to win our next game.
“My opponents were also a good side; they tried all what they could but didn’t score also. It was a good game but my team needs to win games,” he added.
By: Kiadum Edookor
A French-American, John Walter Wilkins is confident Rivers Hoopers can make it to the playoff round of the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Wilkins, who is the son of former NBA player Jeff Wilkins, linked up with his Hoopers teammates at the team’s training camp in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ahead of the 2024 BAL Savannah Conference games, which tip off on Saturday, 4th May, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal.
Wilkins is no stranger to African basketball, having played for Moroccan sides AS Salé (2015-2016) and Ittihad Tanger (2017-2019), before leading Stade Malien to a third-place finish at BAL 2023.
Looking ahead to the 2024 BAL, Wilkins says the quality of basketball across Africa has improved, with the BAL requiring a high level of competitiveness, but backed Rivers Hoopers to spring a surprise at the tournament.
“It’s a really high level, a great competition; [it’s] one of the best I’ve played in since I’ve been in Africa. But we don’t need to be scared. We need to just attack the moment, be there, be present, and I think if we are confident in our abilities, we can surprise people,” he said.
Since its inaugural season in 2021, Nigerian teams have appeared twice at the BAL, with Rivers Hoopers playing in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2021 and Kwara Falcons featuring at BAL 2023.
Despite failing to reach the playoffs on both previous occasions, Wilkins is optimistic that with the quality of players in the Hoopers squad as well as the recruitment done ahead of the BAL, Rivers Hoopers will be more competitive in this season’s BAL.
“I’m really optimistic. I know that those past years the teams from Nigeria didn’t do well, but I think with me, Kelvin [Amayo], Will [Perry], and the other guys, I think we can show the way, have some wins, and be more competitive,” he stated.
The Nigerian Champions were drawn in the Savannah Conference alongside former BAL Champions US Monastir (Tunisia), last year’s runners-up AS Douanes (Senegal), and APR (Rwanda).
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