Sports
Nyango, Arusei Emerge Winners Of Rivers Int’l Marathon
The maiden edition of Rivers International Marathon Race organised by Arch Raphael Limited recorded a huge success as it was witnessed by a large crowd and people from all walks of life.
Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Mrs Valerie Siminalayi Fubara flagged off the 42 km race at Sharks Football Club Stadium, Hospital Road, Port Harcourt.
At the end of the event, Gyang Boyi Nyango of Pleatau State, finished 2:28:29 and Peninah Arusei of Kenya finished 2:48:23 to emerge winners of male and female categories, respectively.
Speaking with sports journalists shortly after the race last Saturday in Port Harcourt,Nyango expressed joy for winning the 42 km race, adding that the race was not easy but that he believed in himself.
According to him, his coach used to tell him to always believe in himself and not to give up despite the people competing against.
“The race was not easy but I believe in myself, my coach use to tell me to believe in myself despite the people I am competing against and I should not give up. I did not give up that is why I won the race.
“I keep pushing because a day before the race I said, I will defeat Kenya athletes who came for the event,” Nyango said.
He explained that it was not the first time he has competed against Kenyans, saying that he has defeated them in some competitions. He noted that the most important thing was to train hard.
“When you train well you will make it but if you do not train it will not be easy for you. I was discouraged from the starting point when a lot of the athletes were in my front but I know some of them will drop when they will get to 15 km.
“So I kept pushing because at the back of my mind I say I will not give up. I believe in myself that is why I was able to win the race,” he stated.
The race started from Sharks Stadium, Hospital Road Port Harcourt Township and ended at Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara donated N5m each to the first positions male and female category, while from second position to 20th position given N1million each.
Iliya Pam Mwanta and Istifanus Peter of Plateau came second and third, respectively in the male category.
By: Tonye Orabere & Kiadum Edookor
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.
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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