Sports

Taekwondo: Team Nigeria Assures Of Picking Tokyo Olympics Tickets

Published

6 years ago

February 20, 2020

National taekwondo team captain, Chinazum Nwosu, yesterday assured that the team would pick tickets to the 2020 Olympics at the Africa Qualification Tournament in Rabat, Morocco.
Nwosu told newsmen in Abuja, ahead of the team’s departure to Morocco yesterday, that the athletes were fully ready to perform and excel.
Tidesports source reports that the team left Abuja yesterday after an initial postponement of its scheduled departure due to a delay in release of funds.
The team’s quartet of Chinazum Nwosu, Benjamin Okuomose, Elizabeth Anyanocho and Ifeoluwa Ajayi, as well as accompanying officials left for Rabat via Air Maroc Airlines.
The contingent was expected to arrive just in time for the qualifiers which runs from Friday to Monday.
Nwosu, who narrowly lost out on clinching a Rio 2016 Olympics ticket, is hopeful for different results in Rabat where she won an African Games medal in 2019.
She said the team had prepared well for the tournament and expressed confidence in the team doing the country proud.
“As captain of the team, I know 100 per cent that the team is ready and we are very focused on qualifying for the Olympics,” Nwosu said.
On his part, Okuomose said his aim was to go a step further in the sport by qualifying for the Olympics.
The African Games bronze medalist and national champion said his participation at the Fujairah Open recently had boosted his confidence for the qualifiers in Rabat.
“I do not feel any tension and I am very ready to make Nigeria proud. I just have to stay focused,” he said.
Also, Anyanocho said the support from the Nigeria taekwondo community had been very helpful.
“My mind and body have undergone serious training. So, I believe I have prepared enough. I will like to thank members of the Nigeria taekwondo family for their kind words and encouragement,” she said.
Ifeoluwa Ajayi, Nigeria International Open gold medalist and current national champion, acknowledged that the team would be up against the best at the qualifiers.
“But I am optimistic about the team’s chances. We will definitely deliver.’’
Earlier, Margaret Binga, the President of Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), had said she was glad the team had departed for the Olympic qualifiers after the initial delay.
She said the team was well prepared for the tournament and assured that Nigeria’s flag would be hoisted at the taekwondo event of the Tokyo Olympics later in the year.
The tournament will have 105 participants, made up of 63 male and 42 female from 36 countries.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.