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Okagbare, Amusan, 10 Other Nigerian Athletes Cleared

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The Athletics Integrity Unit of World Athletics has cleared 12 Nigerian athletes to compete in the track and field events of the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
This comes after jumper Ruth Usoro, sprinter Favour Ofili and eight other Nigerian athletes were on Wednesday disqualified from the track and field events of the Olympics.
Tidesports Source gathered that the athletes include sprinter Blessing Okagbare, who won silver at the Beijing edition of the Games in 2008; Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan, Divine Oduduru, Grace Nwokocha and Patience Okon-George.
Others are Enoch Adegoke, Imaobong Nse Uko, Itsekiri Usheoritee, Chukwuebika Enekwechi, Emmanuel Ojeli and Samson Nathaniel.
Reigning Nigerian sprint queen and 100m and 200m record holder, Okagbare, tops the list of the 12 athletes the AIU cleared to compete in the athletics event of the Games, which begins today.
Okagbare, who is making her fourth appearance at the Games, will be competing in the women’s 100m heats on the opening day of the track and field events.
Amusan, who is ranked number four in the world in the 100m hurdles; long jumper Ese Brume, who tops the world list in her event coming to the Games, and Grace Nwokocha, the home-based sensation, who clocked 11.09secs in March at the MOC Grand Prix in Lagos to seal her qualification for the Tokyo Games are seen as medal hopefuls.
Oduduru, Adegoke and Itshekiri will be competing in the men’s 100m while Oduduru will also race in the 200m, an event he holds the national record of 19.73secs, which he set two years ago in Austin, Texas in the USA to win the NCAA gold.
Shot put athlete, Enekwechi, who made it to the event’s final at the World Athletics Championship in Doha, Qatar in 2019, will also be hoping to put up a fine outing in his event.
The 4x400m mixed relay quartet of Imaobong Nse Uko, Patience Okon-George, Nataniel Samson and Ifeanyi Ojeli will be in action today in the first semi-final heat.
Secretary-General, Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Adisa Beyioku, says the athletes are in good spirits as they are determined to return Nigeria to the podium for the first time since 2008 when Okagbare and the women’s 4x100m won Nigeria’s last medals in track and field.
Beyioku assured the 12 athletes that the federation would continue to be “the goose that laid Team Nigeria’s golden eggs at the Olympics.”
Athletics accounts for 13 of the 25 medals won by the country at the Games and two of the three gold medals won since the country’s first participation at the Olympics in China.

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CAFCL: Finidi Laud Players Over Impressive Performance 

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Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt head coach, Finidi George, has lauded his players (boys) after they defeated Les Aigles du Congo 1-0 in the second leg of preliminary round of the CAF Champions League (CAFCL).
He admitted that the game was a perfect display of football artistry from both sides but believe that his players  will  grow stronger against Black Bulls in the second preliminary round in Mozambique.
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Finidi said this on Sunday shortly after his side saw off Les Aigles du Congo 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
 This feat qualified the pride of Rivers State for the second round of the preliminary stage by 1-0 goal aggregate, as their opponents forced them to goalless draw in Congo.
“It was not far from a perfect display, my players to get the job done by getting the only goal of the game. We know it has not been easy, but we’ll build on this win.
“The most important thing is that we have scaled through this round and  now we will focus on our next opponent” Finidi said.
He noted that the players were nervous in the first half and missed key opportunities to seal the tie early.
” We had chances, but there were lapses and mistakes, during first half break we advised them to  calm down, in the second half, we also created more opportunities but could not convert the chances as they come ” he said.
Finidi also explained the inexperience of his squad, with several players making their continental debut.
“Most of my players have not played at this level before, so the nervousness was expected. In every game, they’ll gain confidence. I’m not worried, they will get better,” he stated.
The former Super Eagles Coach assured fans that Rivers United are ready for the Mozambican champions and make a statement.
“We’ll prepare well for the Black Bull. It’s going to be tough but this win gives us something to build on” he added.
Rivers United will travel to Maputo for the first leg of the second preliminary on October 17, 2025 before returning to Uyo for the return leg where the winner over the two legs will make it into the group stage of the CAFCL.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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Umuahia Hosts Africa Para- Badminton Championship 

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A badminton fever has gripped Umuahia with the arrival of over 150 athletes and 60 officials from 14 countries for the maiden Abia International Para-Badminton and All-African Badminton Championship.

The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.  On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.

Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.

Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.

“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.

“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”

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FIFA U20: Flying Eagles Narrowly Loss to Norway 

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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.

Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.

Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.

Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.

Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.

Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.

 

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