Sports

Birmingham 2022: Aruna, Bello Top Table Tennis’ List

Published

3 years ago

July 8, 2022

Twenty eighteen Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Quadri Aruna and the 2022 ITTF Africa Cup vice champion Fatimo Bello topped the list of the eight-man team listed by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF). Tidesports source learnt yesterday that the list of the table tennis contingent has been finalized while the players are expected to resume camping in Lagos for the multi-sports fiesta taking place from July 28 to August 8 in the United Kingdom (UK).
Aruna, who will be making his fourth appearance at the Commonwealth Games after his debut at the 2010 edition in Delhi, India will likely be the number one seed in the men’s singles as the highest ranked player at the Commonwealth Games.
Bello, who caused a major upset at the 2022 ITTF Africa Cup worked her way into the team following her scintillating performance this year as three-time West Africa champion and the only Nigerian female player to be ranked among the top 54 in the world.
Meanwhile, the 2019 African Games champion Olajide Omotayo, Bode Abiodun and debutant Amadio Omeh will join Aruna in the men’s team for the games.
Bello will also have Offiong, Esther Oribamise and Ajoke Ojomu as members of the women’s team to Birmingham.

Sports

Manager Wants Hitch free Spires 5-Aside divisional qualifiers

Published

1 min ago

May 12, 2025

The Tide

After a highly successful tournament in Ikeja, which produced Wasola FC, Blood & Sand and Amsterdam FA as the qualified teams from the division, the Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer Tournament season 2 divisional qualifying train is set for its next stop in Ikorodu.

With eight accredited teams set to battle for the three available slots in the division, hostilities will get on the way by noon on Saturday (today) at Deeonis Football Court, Ota-Ona, Ikorodu.

In the fixtures slated for match-day one, Better Tomorrow ISA will lock horns against Marine Boyz in the opening match, while Diamond FC will file out against New Generation FC in the second game.

Action resumes again on Sunday, May 11. Orion & Leon FC will square up against Opopo Ona-Iwo Mimo FC, while Evagrine FC will hope to secure a win against Oladunjoye FC in the second match of the day.

The program manager of the Spires 5-Aside Tourney, Mr Akin Odunsi, said all arrangements have been completed to ensure a hitch-free tournament in Ikorodu.

We had a splendid event in Ikeja, and we hope to leverage on it as we envisage another successful tournament in the Oga division of Ikorodu.

“The football community in Ikorodu is very impressive and we are working closely with the divisional football association to create a coterie engagement and social interaction around the tournament before, during and after the matches,” Odunsi added.

Aside from securing a spot in the 16-team tournament, the first-placed teams in each of the divisional qualifiers will receive the sum of N500,000, the first runner-up will pocket N300,000, while the third-placed side will get the sum of N100,000 as prize money.

Sixteen teams across the five divisions in Lagos will compete in the 2025 Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer Tourney. Three teams will qualify from each division, as well as the overall best loser across the board.

Sports

La Liga: Ancelotti Hails Potential Successor

Published

1 min ago

May 12, 2025

The Tide

Carlo Ancelotti has called Xabi Alonso “one of the best in the world” amid rumours the Spaniard will replace him as Real Madrid manager.

Last Friday, Bayer Leverkusen head coach Alonso said he would be leaving the German club at the end of this season.

Alonso is set to be announced as the new Real Madrid boss once Ancelotti’s departure is officially confirmed.

Speaking before Madrid’s El Clasico La Liga fixture against rivals Barcelona on Sunday, Ancelotti said Alonso “has done an incredible job and he has the doors open to him because he has shown he is one of the best in the world”.

But the 65-year-old, who is rumoured to be the next Brazil manager, refused to directly answer any questions about his own managerial future.

“With this club, the honeymoon doesn’t end,” said Ancelotti. “The honeymoon with Madrid will last until the last day of my life.”

Carlo Ancelotti has won 15 trophies across two spells as Real Madrid manager and last season led Los Blancos to a Champions League-La Liga double.

But this campaign Real trail Barcelona by four points in the league before their El Clasico clash yesterday, and could end up without a trophy for the first time in four seasons.

Last year, Alonso led Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title, without losing a game, and the German Cup in his first full season as a senior club manager.

The Spaniard, 43, won the Champions League as a player at Real in 2014.

Sports

AfroBasket: D’Tigers To Play Against Tunisia, Cameroon, Madagascar

Published

2 mins ago

May 12, 2025

The Tide

Nigeria’s D’Tigers have been pitted against holders Tunisia, Cameroon and Madagascar in Group B of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament set to hold from August 12 to 24 in Angola.

The draw for the championship was held in the Angolan capital of Luanda on Friday.

The draws for all 16 teams were made according to a seeding system based on the FIBA world rankings, and the ceremony was attended by several African basketball legends.

The 2015 champions will be vying for only their second continental title in Angola.

Tunisia, who are the reigning champions, have won the competition on three occasions, and they defeated Nigeria in the 2017 final.

Cameroon have never won the AfroBasket, although they did finish runners-up in the 2007 edition held in Angola. They boast a decent lineup featuring NBA star Pascal Siakam, but it is yet unclear if the 2019 NBA champion will be available.

Madagascar first made her debut at the AfroBasket in 1972 (same as Nigeria) and will be making a fourth appearance at the 2025 edition in Angola. Her best finish was ninth position at the 1972 event held in Dakar, Senegal.

Nigeria’s last appearance at the AfroBasket 2021 ended in a disappointing defeat to Uganda in the pre-quarter-finals stages.

Luanda and Namibe are the two venues that will play host to the 31st edition of the FIBA AfroBasket tournament.

The Southern city of Namibe will host only the group phase games, while the capital Luanda, will stage some group fixtures and final phase match-ups.