Connect with us

Sports

Tokyo Paralympics:  Nigeria’s Ejike, Five Other Athletes To Watch

Published

on

Team Nigeria Paralympics will participate in four events: Para Powerlifting, Para-Athletics, Para-Table Tennis and Para Rowing.
The first Paralympics debut for team Nigeria was far back Barcelona 1992, with six athletes who came back with three gold medals.
Nigeria largest contingent to the games was in Sydney 2000 with 31 Paralympics Athletes when Team Nigeria returned home with 13 medals.
Here are six athletes hoping to make an impact:
Ejike and 21 other athletes will be representing Nigeria.
Ejike won a medal in each of the Games she has been in, winning gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2016 and silver medals in 2000 and 2012.
Team Nigeria in the Tokyo 2020 games this year. The Team captain Lucy Ejike, 44, who would be featuring in her sixth Paralympics after making her debut at Sydney 2000, has promised that the contingent would surpass the record at Rio 2016.
Rio 2016 in Brazil, was a successful outing for Team Nigeria, which became Africa best team and 17th overall on the medal table with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
Known as the “Blade Jumper”, three-time Paralympic champion Rehm is aiming to push the boundaries even further after demolishing the T64 long jump world record in June.
The German, who turned 33 on Sunday, leapt 8.62m at the European Championships in Poland — beating the previous record by a full 14cm.
That jump would have been enough to win gold at every Olympics since 1992, and was only 33cm short of Mike Powell’s non-disabled world record.
Rehm has spoken of his desire to compete at the Olympics, but for the moment he is focused on adding more Paralympic gold to his collection in Tokyo.
“I try to be the best long jumper in the world,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if I wear a prosthetic leg or if I have two sound legs. I just do what I can do, and I just try to be the best I can be.”
Wheelchair fencer Vio is a sporting icon in her native Italy, where she is a regular guest at Milan Fashion Week and has over a million followers on Instagram.
The 24-year-old, known as “Bebe”, started fencing at the age of five, but had both legs and forearms amputated when she contracted meningitis as an 11-year-old.
She turned her attention to wheelchair fencing – becoming the first competitive fencer with no arms or legs – and claimed a gold and a bronze at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
But she has not been able to compete for two years because the pandemic has shut tournaments down, and she has admitted she is “scared” as she prepares to return to Tokyo.
“I don’t know what is going to happen this time, but I’m just so happy to be here,” she said.
“I miss it so much. I miss the vibration of the competition.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Tinubu Declares Para Games Open… Expresses Commitment To Continually Develop Sports 

Published

on

It was another colorful opening ceremony at the third edition of the National Para Games, holding in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.
The Moshoodi Abiola National Stadium was colorfully decorated to suit the event; there were cultural dances and acrobatic displays to activate the spirit of sportsmanship, love, and unity.
Again, the match past event expresses that there is ability in disability; it rekindled friendship and hope in them.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu expressed commitment to support sports in all ramifications continually.
According to him, the aim of the competition is to promote unity and discover talents that can represent the country at an international level.
President Tinubu, who was represented by the chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, emphasised that every sport will be given adequate attention.
“This administration’s commitment is to ensure equal opportunities for all sports in the country.
” We urged participating states to use the event to demonstrate the spirit of togetherness, mutual respect, and service to humanity,” Tinubu said.
Also speaking, Rivers State Director of Sports Obia Inyingikabo used the forum to express her profound gratitude to the Governor of the state, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, for graciously approving and releasing funds to enable the state para team to attend the games.
She stated that the governor has made a significant impact on sports development in the state and also expressed confidence that the team would make a statement in the competition.
By: Tonye Orabere
Continue Reading

Sports

Red House shines At CSS Obete Ndoki 10th Interhouse sports 

Published

on

The Community Junior Secondary School, Obete, Ndoki in Obigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State last week held their 10th edition of the school’s Annual Inter-House Sports Competition. It was a display of variety of sporting engagement and competition that saw the Red House emerging winners at the end of proceedings.
Green House came second, while the Yellow house finished third.
Meanwhile, the Principal of the school Obete Ndoki Mr Amaechi Ifeanyi has decried the poor infrastructural facilities at the school.
Speaking with newsmen,he said the school with a total student population of 170 has no classrooms, science laboratories and teachers.
The principal listed the challenges of the school to include, poor learning environment classrooms, office and staff room, lack of sports equipment, lack of school bus and others.
He listed some achievements of the school to include reconstruction of 30 pieces of desks, and reconstruction of staff office.
The principal stressed the need for the government to come to the aide of the school, adding students sit under dilapidation roof and trees to learn.
Speaking on the interhouse sports, Ifeanyi said the school has produced a lot of sports men and women in the past, stressing that the school is talented future footballers and Athletes who will one day make the nation proud of discover early.
“Today we are here to celebrate our illustrious children the builders of tomorrow, this competition is to create awareness to our children to understand the society requirements to sustain their future living
“I will also draw the minds of parents to the spirit of sportsmanship in their respective houses by forgiving one another to help all grow better in our community irrespective of the degree of offence and challenges “he said.
The event also featured awards to distinguish personalities who retired from the school.
Continue Reading

Sports

Yellow House Wins  Dinada Academy Inter-House Sports Competiton

Published

on

The yellow house on Thursday scored 182 points to emerge as champions of the first annual inter-house sports competition of the Dinada Academy Nursery and Primary School in Port Harcourt.
The competition, which was held at the number six field of Old Port Harcourt Township, saw the Blue house come second with 164 points, as the Green house occupied the third position with 158 points.
In his opening address, the chairman of the occasion
Alalibo Kingsley encourages the children to use the inter-house competition as a means of developing different sporting activities.
Kingsley, who was represented by Frank Kabolo, said sport is  currently one of the best ways of earning income, adding that it is important to key into sports at an early age.
The chairman commended the proprietress of the academy, Mrs Ibiene Josiah, and the staff of the academy for organising its first annual inter-house.
“Today I want to commend the proprietress of the academy, Mrs Josiah, and the staff for the knowledge they have imparted to the children.
“As you can see, the children are very happy, as sports bring joy unity, and love to the society,” Alalibo said.
Also speaking was the proprietress of the academy, Mrs Josiah, who thanked the staff and management of Dinada Academy and also expressed her profound gratitude to parents and guardians for their contributions and cooperation towards the successful inter-house competition.
“It is indeed a day to remember in the history of Dinada Academy.” We started the journey together, and God, in his provision, supplied all that was required in achieving our desired goals.
“I appreciate the management, parents, and guardians for giving us a day like this to remember in years to come.
“We pray as you journey back to your respective destinations God will grant you journey mercy,” she prayed.
By: Kiadum Edookor
Continue Reading

Trending