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Four-Year-Old Dandyson Aspires To Become Professional Golfer

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Four-year-old Lewis Dandyson says he aims to become one held Nigeria’s all-time great golfers having won his first  major golf tournament at the one day golf championships in Port Harcourt last Wednesday.
Tidesports source gathered gathered that Olypmpafrica UNIPORT Centre Sports Institute, University of Port Harcourt, hosted the one-day golf tournament at the Port Harcourt Club Golf 1928.
The tournament had different categories for the boys and girls, however, little Dandyson defeated older golfers in the 6 to 8 years category though not up to that age.
Tidesports gathered  that little Dandyson made his unexpected entry into the golf championships last year at the age of three years, six months old at the Awa Ibrahim Junior Golf Open Championships, held at Ikeja Golf Club.
There, the young golfer accompanied by his mum to the Ikeja Golf Club venue of the championship, left many who gave him no chance of any performing astonished.
Aspiring Dandyson, however, played 64 in 4 holes to the surprise of the spectators.
Relishing his experience at the Port Harcourt tournament, Dandyson told newsmen yesterday that he was well prepared to take up the challenge of becoming a star by registering for it.
Apparently, considering his age, the organisers asked him to play one hole because they never believed he could play four holes.
Dandyson, a first year pupil of Navy Primary School, Rumouorlumeni, Port Harcourt, to the surprise of many, won his category with 19 in a hole and was presented with a certificate.
Seeing his doggedness in golf, one of the dignitaries at the event Justice Dezen Okocha, said: “He is a champion of all champions because of his boldness.
“I doubted if he could play, but he proved himself,’’ he said.
En route his interest in golf, Dandyson’s mum, Noble, told newsmen that he took interest in golf while accompanying his father who is also a golfer to the golf course.
“His dad take him to the golf course and that is where he took the interest from  seeing that he is much interested by trying to hold the golf stick, we decided to encourage him.
“From there, we began to give him light training and tutorials on golf and he was picking fast. He is a fast learner.
“Last year, he was there just as a participant but seeing that he is ready for major, we registered him for the competition and he did not disappoint.
“I think he is ready to play golf to any level; he is cool and focuses on golf,’’ she said.
Explaining further on how little Dandyson could realise the dream of becoming one of the great golf exports from Nigeria, his mother said that they (parents) were ready to support him.
“We are ready to support him to any level; we are also ready to sponsor him to tournaments both within and outside the country.
“Seeing Dandyson play golf is an inspiration to us, that is what he like doing next to his studies. He loves golf and that was written all over him.
“Lewis is a boy who we notice that he does any task given to him satisfactorily. He plays golf with joy not minding the time he is called upon.
“If you call him out anytime his enthusiasm will surprise you. He can play for hours in spite of his age,’’ she said.
The first price for the U-12 girls’ category was carted away by Favour Nonso of Government Girls Secondary School Ngboshimini.
Henry Harry from Navy Primary School, Pathfinder beat other golfers to in the U-10 boys to emerge champion and also as the best player of the tournament.

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Football Pundit Lauds Chelle’s Effort In Monitoring Nigeria League Players

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A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.

Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.

“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”

He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.

“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”

“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.

“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.

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LGA Boss Pledges To Reintroduce School Sports 

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The chairman of the Khana Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, Bariere Thomas, has revealed that plans are underway to commence school sports at the primary and secondary school levels in the area.
According to him, school sports that were primarily used to discover young talents had become a thing of the past, adding that one of the ways to discover young talents is to organize programs that will expose talents at the grassroots level.
Thomas said this on Saturday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after a novelty football match between Khana All-Stars and council appointees.
The match was held to mark the birthday of Felix Ibor, the Supervisor for Education in Khana LGA, at the Bori Police Station field.
The LGA boss reiterated that organizing competitive sporting events in primary and secondary schools is one of the best ways to bring out the best in young people and help to achieve their potential.
“What we are doing in the Khana Local Government Area is to consolidate on the sports we know, which are wrestling, cycling, football, and others,” he said.
He added that he is concerned about the competitive nature of wrestling on the global stage; at Khana LGA, for instance, they are focusing on how to consolidate the sports they know more about.
Thomas described Felix Ibor as an academic whom he has known and worked with since before he became LGA chairman.
He commended both teams for the novelty match, saying that it was held to celebrate Ibor’s birthday.
Ibor thanked the chairman and both teams for celebrating with him, and he prayed that God would also bless them.
Meanwhile, Ibor also presented a set of Jessy to the chairman for the council team.
Kiadum Edookor
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Ezechukwu Eyes Double Gold In African Champs

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Teenage Nigerian sprinter Miracle Ezechukwu has set her sights on winning both the 100m and 4x100m relay titles at the 24th African Athletics Championships in Accra, while also targeting a new personal best in the process, Tidesports source.

Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.

The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.

“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.

“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.

Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.

She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.

“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.

The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.

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