The National Sports Commission (NSC) has awarded a scholarship to 18-year-old Chinenye Fidelis who broke the African and national records in weightlifting  in the 53kg category at the 17th National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt last week.

The Technical Director, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), retired Navy Captain Babatunde Adedimeji, made the disclosure yesterday

Fidelis lifted a total of 205kg to set the new records, breaking the 2009 record of 175kg set by Patience Lawal of Kwara.

“As a result of Chinenye’s outstanding performance, Patrick Ekeji, the Director General, NSC, decided to give her an automatic scholarship for her education,” he said.

Adedimeji said that the African and national record holder, who is currently in SS 2, would be sponsored through the rest of her education.

He also disclosed that a sum of N50,000 was presented to Fidelis’ coach.

Adedimeji, who is also an official of African Weightlifting Federation (WFA), said that the Akwa Ibom-born weightlifter was now rated as an elite athlete.

He said that the new African record set by the athlete would be considered by the federation and ratified by the WFA.

According to him, the federation will continue to strive to ensure that more talents are discovered, especially, at the National Sports Festival.

Fifa boss Blatter warns Africa over World Cup slots

Fifa boss Sepp Blatter says African countries must improve if they want their World Cup slots to be increased.

Six countries represented Africa at last year’s World Cup because South Africa hosted the tournament.

But the continent’s places at the World Cup will revert to five for the 2014 finals in Brazil.

This has sparked calls by some African countries for the continent’s places to be increased in future events.

But the head of the world governing body says Africa will have to work hard to have the allocation of places increased.

“All of the Fifa member countries have equal voting rights, but when it comes to the World Cup, which is the only income of Fifa, our executive committee agrees that those confederations that have the best football should have more representatives,” Blatter said in Harare.

“There are no more small national teams, everyone can beat everyone, but it’s up to Africa to prove that they deserve more [World Cup places].”

“For the future it depends on the results of African teams in the World Cup.”

Africa’s performance in 2010, where, of the continent’s contenders only Ghana made it out of the quarter-finals, is the farthest an African country has gone in the World Cup.

Cameroon and Senegal also reached the same stage in 1990 and 2002 respectively.

Fifa announced in March that there will be no change in the number of qualification slots allocated to each continent at the 2014 World Cup.

The decision means that Asia keeps 4.5 places, Oceania half a place, Africa five, Concacaf 3.5 and Europe 13.

South America remain with 4.5 while Brazil qualify automatically as hosts of the 32-team tournament, as South Africa did in 2010.