Sports
Ladipo Armwrestling Championships To Hold In Lagos, March 26
The Nigeria
Armwrestling Federation (NAWF) yesterday said that plans had been concluded to host the maiden Rafiu Ladipo Armwrestling Championship.
NAWF President Olatunji Jackson told the newsmen in Lagos that the Championship were slated to hold at the National Stadium in Lagos on March 26.
Jackson said that 16 weight categories would be competed for at the one-day championship.
“We have what it takes to engage 200 participants at the competition; the manpower and kits are available for these numbers,’’ he said.
Jackson said that the championships would be used as a selection process for armwrestlers to represent the country at the forthcoming African Armwrestling Championships holding in Cairo, Egypt, from April 26 to April 29.
“We are also using the championships to strengthen the national team as well as select representatives to the forthcoming tournament in Egypt,’’ he said.
He said that the federation intended to engage its armwrestlers in all the competitions in the calendar for the year.
“This is one of the programmes we have for 2016. We have nine competitions that we will love our armwrestlers to participate in.
“These tournaments comprise national and international competitions.
“We have the Dr Rafiu Ladipo National Armwrestling Championships, Lagos Open World Armwrestling Championships, African Armwrestling Championships in Egypt.
“We also have Amsterdam Festival Armwrestling, World Eliminating Armwrestling Championships, Gulley Armwrestling, U.S., 36th World Armwrestling Championships in Hungary and the Owerri Community Open Championships.
“We are making extra-efforts to surpass all the programmes we had in 2015,’’Jackson said.
He said that because the federation was new, the board members were saddled with the responsibility of making the sport popular.
“It is a new sport in the country which is barely over a year. It has yet to gain a wide acceptance.
“Many persons have yet to know about the sport. Almost every day I have to display to people how the sport is practiced,” he said.
Jackson, however, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to partner the armwrestling federation to put it in spotlight.
“Our plan is to make armwrestling a medal winning sport for Nigeria. We want our armwrestlers to be world beaters,” he said.
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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