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AAG: Nigeria Will Feature In 21 Sports -Popoola

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11 years ago

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Super Falcons

Super Falcons

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) yesterday  said that the nation would participate in 21 sports at the forthcoming All Africa Games (AAG) coming up in Congo Brazzaville from September  4 to September  19.
The sports are athletics, basketball, badminton, boxing, beach volleyball, cycling, football, gymnastics and handball.
Others are judo, karate, table tennis, para athletics, powerlifting, taekwondo, tennis, rugby, swimming, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.
The Secretary-General of NOC, Tunde Popoola, however, told the newsmen in Lagos that the number of sports may be reduced due to paucity of funds.
“21 sports have made the requirements to feature at the Games. The numbers might undergo a reduction before the eventual departure to Congo Brazzaville.
“The National Sports Commission (NSC) have told us that they don’t have enough funds to carry all athletes.
“We are hoping that a way is found so that we can be able to take all the athletes,’’ he said.
The scribe said that, if by the end of July the financial situation has not improved, the number of sports for the games would be reduced to 15 or 17.
“It is not our intention to raise hopes and eventually dash it. If NOC has its way, all the 21 sports will go. It would be very painful if it comes down to dropping some sports.
“It is rather unfortunate the situation we are finding ourselves at this tail end of the tiding up for the Games.
“We are hoping that things would turn around for good and all the contingent would go,’’ he said.
The 2011 AAG in Maputo, Nigeria featured in 20 sports and clinched 102 medals comprised of 31 gold, 29 silver and 42 bronze.

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Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship 

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6 days ago

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August 10, 2026

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A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.
Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.
The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.
After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.
He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.
The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.
His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.
Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.
Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.
The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.
Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.
Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.
He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.
Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.
He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.
The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,
Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category
Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor
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Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

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6 days ago

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August 10, 2026

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Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.
The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.
Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.
In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.
The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.
Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.
The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.
In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.
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Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

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6 days ago

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August 10, 2026

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World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.

 

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