Sports
Swimming, football talents shine at CSL Games
Young swimming and football talents displayed impressive skills at the inaugural CSL Junior School Games hosted by CitySports Africa, with Supreme Education Foundation School emerging as football champions.
The groundbreaking event, held on Saturday in Lagos, brought together six leading schools, including Pershing Hills Elementary School, Prior Preparatory School, Supreme Education Foundation, British International Junior School, The Learning Place, and Hampton Preparatory School.
Supreme Education Foundation School defeated Prior Preparatory School 3-1 in the football final to claim the title, whilst British International Junior School finished third after beating The Learning Place 2-1 in the third-place match.
Pershing Hills Elementary School secured fifth place with a 1-0 victory over Hampton Preparatory School.
The swimming competition also proved highly competitive, with participants showcasing their talents across various categories.
Speaking on the success of the event, CEO CitySports Africa, Shola Opaleye, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to building platforms that nurture talent and promote sportsmanship.
“The maiden CSL Junior School Games is the beginning of a movement that places values above victories. Watching these children compete with courage, cheer for one another, and embrace the true spirit of sportsmanship has been deeply inspiring,” Opaleye said.
“Through the CSL Challenger theme, our vision is to raise a generation of young athletes who understand that leadership, respect, and teamwork matter just as much as winning. This event reflects our broader mission at CitySports Africa to impact 10 million youths by 2035, reaching at least 1 million each year with opportunities that inspire growth, build character, and shape future leaders.”
Bolanle Adewale, Executive Director of The Learning Place, commended the initiative whilst emphasising the importance of participation over winning.
“This is the first time we are hosting the tournament, and the reason for this is that we believe the children should develop the theme of collaboration. We believe that it’s an opportunity for them to get the exposure that’s needed for resilience, to compete and collaborate with their counterparts,” Adewale said.
“It’s not necessarily about winning. It’s more about collaborating, in my opinion. I say to the children that they never lose. When you do not win, you have learnt. You have learned how to do it better, so never feel like it’s the end of the world.
“Every child today has been a winner, in my opinion. The fact that they could participate at all, come out and be a part of it, is priceless. We commend City Sports Africa specifically for these junior school games because without them, we couldn’t have put this together.”
Coach Samson Davies, whose Supreme Education Foundation School team won the football title, praised his players’ commitment and performance, saying, “The kids have been fantastic. We have been training every day because of this competition, and we are also preparing for the African School Games and other competitions.
“This is just the first one out of the few competitions we are preparing for the last quarter of this year, and we hope to win all. In this final, they played really fantastically well, and I’m proud of them.”
Farit Surakat, who scored in the final and was his team’s best player of the tournament, expressed his delight at winning the competition.
“I feel very good about the competition playing against the other kids, and I had a good tournament. My favourite game was the final because we won the competition,” the midfielder, who idolises AC Milan star Luka Modric, said.
The event, proudly supported by FBNQuest Merchant Bank and Lagoon Hospitals, highlighted the IAmACSLChallenger theme, a movement dedicated to erasing the ‘win at all costs’ mentality while empowering young athletes to rise as true leaders both on and off the field.
Parents, coaches, and supporters commended the initiative for creating a safe, inclusive, and inspiring environment for children to express themselves through sports.
CitySports Africa is a leading grassroots sports development organisation dedicated to empowering young athletes across the continent through structured competitions, training programmes, and international opportunities.
Through initiatives like the CitySports League and the Global Sports Program, the organisation continues to champion youth talent, sportsmanship, and the values of leadership, teamwork, and integrity.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.