Sports
Nigeria’s 4x400m Team Qualify For IAAF Worlds
Nigeria’s quartet of Godday James, Saul Weigopwa, Abiola Onakoya and Noah Akwu lit up the Abuja National Stadium last weekend when they picked the 4×400 metres relay ticket to the IAAF World Athletics Championship 4×400 metres slated for Berlin, Germany next month.
The foursome ran an impressive 3:02:30 seconds to book Nigeria’s place in the 1,600 relays of the world meet. Interestingly, the Dominican Republic team that chased qualification in the event to Abuja was also fortunate to make the mark, hitting the finish line in 3:02:45 seconds. The world championship qualifying time is 3:03.31 seconds. The Kenyan team that placed third could not make the mark with its 3:03.90 seconds.
An elated Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Technical Director, Sunday Bada, described the performance as “a good start for the boys” adding, “Now that we have booked a place in the 4×400 relays of the world championships in Berlin, we will sit down with the coaches and look at our programme again to see how we can improve on this performance. It will be good for us if the team is able to get a place in the podium in Berlin.
The female rely team also won the xx400 metres in 3:30.77 seconds. The story was also the same in the sprint relays where the men (39:57) won the first place; with Trinidad and Tobago (39:88) placing second and Dominican Republic (39:88) third.
In the women version, Demola Osayomi, anchored Nigeria’s ‘A’ team to a 43:72, with the silver going in Trinidad and Tobago (44:29) while Nigeria ‘B’ team (45:33) placed third. Ghana without its star sprinter, Vida Anim, finished fourth.
However, Nigeria’s good fortunes in the relays failed to manifest in the individual events where the visiting countries stole the show. Miete Ben Youssef of Cote d’Ivoire (10:21) won the 100 metres while Trinidad and Tobago’s Bledman Keston (10:30) was second.
2009 National Sports Festival fastest man Oghene Ogho Egwero could only manage the third spot with a 10:31. that time was below is personal best of 10:25.
Trinidad and Tobago girl, Semoy Hackett (11:33) won the women version leaving, the silver to Nigeria’s All Africa Games winner, Damola Osayomi (11:40) and Gloria Kemasuode (11:48).
Leeds yesterday beat Birmingham in a penalty shootout to squeeze into the FA Cup fifth round for the third time in four years.
Goalkeeper Lucas Perri denied Tommy Doyle before Patrick Roberts, who scored a stunning equaliser in the 89th minute, blazed over.
Up stepped Sean Longstaff to score Leeds’ fourth spot-kick from four and send Daniel Farke’s side into the last 16.
Defeat was tough on Chris Davies’ Birmingham side, who pushed their Premier League opponents all the way before falling to only their third home defeat of the season.
The hosts, whose fans applauded owner Tom Wagner as the American continues his recovery from a stroke, deserve huge credit for their display.
And with their cup dream over for another year the ambitious Blues, who are two points off the Championship play-offs, will turn their attention to ending their 15-year exile from the top flight.
In one of the games of the week, Ajegunle United SC edged Best of Best International FA 2–1, courtesy of Ajibola Malik’s 12th-minute strike and James Solomon’s decisive penalty in the 40th minute. Lukman Jaiyeola had earlier equalised from the spot for Best of Best in the 23rd minute. Solomon’s match-winning effort earned him the Man of the Match award.
Pure Talents FA produced one of the standout performances of the week, thumping Sharp Talent FA 4–1. Igbowu Adeleke stole the show with a brilliant hat-trick, scoring in the 26th, 36th, and 40+1 minutes, while Isah Ibrahim added another.
Suliamon Ibrahim had briefly given Sharp Talent the lead in the 4th minute, but Adeleke’s heroics sealed the win and the Man of the Match accolade.
Divinely Blessed FA cruised to a 3–0 victory over Coal City FA, with Mahmud Musa netting twice in quick succession (30th and 34th minutes) and Amadu Daniel adding another in the 32nd minute. Daniel’s commanding display earned him the Man of the Match award.
Young 11 FA and Moree Wins FA battled to a goalless draw, with Akachukwu Uzoma of Young 11 FA recognised as Man of the Match for his solid performance among others.
Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji has claimed a silver medal at the 2026 Para-Badminton World Championship in Bahrain following the conclusion of the women’s SL3 final on Saturday,.
Bolaji put up a spirited performance in the final but fell to Japan’s Shino Kawai, settling for second place in what marks her first-ever World Championship podium finish.
Despite the final result, Bolaji’s run in Bahrain was nothing short of outstanding. The reigning African champion powered into the final with a dominant semi-final victory over China’s Gaoying Yuan, winning 21-12, 21-16 at the New Capital Indoor Hall.
Throughout the tournament, the Nigerian star showcased remarkable consistency and class, recording impressive straight-set victories over Australia’s Caitlin Dransfield, Brazil’s Adriane Ávila, France’s Milena Surreau, and Turkey’s world number five Halime Yildiz.
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