Sports
Nigeria On Verge Of Equalling Best Games Record
After securing nine gold medals in Birmingham, team Nigeria is on course to match the record of gold medals won by their predecessors at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, Tidesports source reports.
In 1994, Team Nigeria won 11 gold medals, which none of the country’s teams afterwards have been able to match ever since.
Now, 28 years later, a new generation of athletes are looking to make their nation proud and are as close to equaling setting a new record should they make it 12 gold wins in the final events decided yesterday.
A notable contrast would be that unlike in 1994 when the men dominated proceedings, winning nine out of the 11 gold medals at the global tournament, and winning 31 out of the total 37 medals while the women won just six, the women have grabbed all the headlines this time around and have rewritten the history books. And what better way to do that than to win the first gold medal of the tournament as Adijat Olarinoye set a new Commonwealth Games’ record to claim gold in weightlifting.
The female athletes have since then won all nine of Nigeria’s gold medals at the Games in Birmingham, and a total of 22 medals, while the male athletes have won just eight with the total tally at 30.
Weightlifting has proven to be a ‘goldmine’ event for Nigeria just like in 1994 when six of the 11 gold medals came from the category with the men winning all.
Oliver Toby (152.5kg), Najite Ogboju (125.0kg), Moji Oluwa (165.0kg and 295.0kg), Lawal Riliwan (132.5kg), and Christopher Onyezier (155.0kg) all set Games Record in the tournament in Victoria, Canada.
Sports
Mayor’s Football Cup Starts Impressively In PH
In a bid to develop grassroots football in Port Harcourt, the 2023 Mayor Football Cup tournament among Wards in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (PHALGA) kicked off on Saturday at Elekahia Primary School field.
The tournament was gripped with excitements and fanfares witnessed by huge attendance saw Ward 7 recording her first victory over Ward 2 via 4-2 penalty shootout after both sides settled on one goal apiece at regulation time.
Call it a high profile grassroots football competition if you like, the truth remains that good number of soccer fans including eminent personalities were in attendance to grace the opening game.
Speaking in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the keenly contested match, the Mayor Sir Allwell lhunda expressed satisfaction with the good football artistry displayed by the two teams irrespective of the final score line in favour of Ward 7.
Sir lhunda further disclosed that it was his burning desire to sponsor the tournament aimed at using the platform to foster unity among various Wards as well as to expose budding talents that abound in the area for grabs by talent chasers.
“ln fact, the standard of today’s game with the officiating were okay as it could be compared with what we used to witness in the Nigeria Professional League matches and also at National level.
“The boys actually played well and l can assure you that if they sustain the tempo, nothing will stop talent chasers coming to look for them”, the self- confident” said.
Sports
NPFL: Heartland Beat Insurance As Remo Stars Maintain Lead
Heartland of Owerri, on Wednesday, continued their impressive form since Kennedy Boboye took over the former champions two weeks ago with a 1-0 defeat of Bendel Insurance in a Week 12 game of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The Naze Millionaires went to Ibadan to pull a draw with Shooting Stars last week and yesterday at their Dan Anyiam Stadium home, they beat Insurance through a 51st minute goal scored by Austin Osayande.
The win, however, has not taken the Owerri team off the regulation zone as they still occupy the 19th spot in the 20-team league.
Leaders, Remo Stars, are still top despite their goalless draw with Niger Tornadoes in Minna, while Sunshine Stars have climbed to the 11th spot off their 1-0 defeat of Shooting Stars of Ibadan in Akure . The Akure warlords’ winning goal was scored by Moses Omoduemuke in the 72nd minute.
Kano Pillars defeated Akwa United 1-0 at the Sani Abacha Stadium; Moses Adikwu Vincent’s two goals (in the third and 94th minutes respectively) were enough to see off Enugu Rangers, whose lone goal was scored by Chidiebere Nwobodo in the 16th minute.
Abia Warriors waited till the 94th minute to salvage a 1-1 draw in Umuahia against Sporting Lagos, whose goal came in the 19th minute through Naibe Akpesin.
Doma United continued their impressive run in the league with a hard-fought goalless draw with Kwara United at the Ilorin Township Stadium, while second-placed Lobi Stars defeated Gombe United by 1-0 courtesy of Chinedu Sunday Chukwu’s 25th minute goal.
Doma United are placed third on the log, followed by Kano Pillars in fifth and Enyimba, whose game against Katsina United was postponed, in sixth.
Sports
Scholarships Up For Grabs For 10 Winners At MTN Champs
The grand finale of the MTN Champs will commence from today and end on Sunday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja where 10 winners will bag scholarship and financial benefits.
MTN CHAMPS is a program in Nigeria that aims to unearth and foster athletics talent across the country.
It is modeled after the Jamaican High school CHAMPS and is poised to become the primary platform for identifying and nurturing promising athletes who could go on to represent Nigeria in prestigious international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.
Before the finals in Abuja, the track and field event was held in three different regions namely: Uyo, Benin and Ibadan where over 7,000 athletes have competed and 42 finalists emerged.
Speaking at the MTN Champs Press Conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, the General Secretary of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Rita Mosindi appealed for the introduction of anti-doping lectures for the young athletes.
“ I want to appeal for the introduction of anti-doping lectures for the kids to educate them on the side effects of taking dope substances.
“These are raw talents that we can manage and nurture them to stardom.
“My advice is to do seminars concerning this just as we have started doing as a federation to reduce doping cases in Nigeria.”
Founder and CEO of Making of Champions (MoC), Bambo Akanni, who is the brain behind the MTN Champs revealed that 10 young athletes from the championship will get special scholarship in the USA and Jamaica.
“MTN Champs involving Secondary School Championship is to discover future Olympians for the country, building youth to excel in sports and academics. This is in line with MTN history of supporting local athletes for global aspirations.
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