Sports
6th Garden City Cycling Championship To Improve Standards
The sixth edition of the Garden City Cycling Championship, scheduled to hold on Sunday in Port Harcourt is seeking to improve the standard of the sport and championship as organisers have moved to introduce new innovations.
Speaking in a press briefing on Tuesday, Pastor Alex Enebeli, chairman of Rivers State Cycling Association said that the association in partnership with lifestyle Cycling Club of Port Harcourt were targeting to lift this edition far above past ones.
He said that this years championship would serve as prelude and preparation for the forthcoming 17th National Sports Festival aimed at improving the association’s athletes.
Enebeli, who was with is vice chairman, Chief Giando-menica Masari and Secretary, Ebenezer Ogbuji at the briefing, declared the cycling association’s desire to win all medals on offer during the sports festival for Rivers State.
He disclosed that eight states have been invited to compete alongside Rivers in the Cycling championship and that competition would be in five categories, Amateur-male and female, Veterans – 30 to 40 years, 40 to 50 and above 50 years of age, Mountain Bike and survival series.
The males are expected to cover a total of 120km, female 60km and veterans, 40-50km.
The route for the race starts from Aggrey Road through Sokoto NEPA, Moscow, William Jumbo, Government Huse, Olumeni, Forces Avenue, UTC Junction, Azikiwe, Superbod, Station, Lagos and back to Aggrey Road.
Enebeli pleaded with road users to be aware of the route and help the organisers have an accident free event.
He used the forum to thank the state government for its developmental strides as the state has become safer and the roads better.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.