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AWC: Super Falcons Eye 8th Title

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16 years ago

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Still smarting from the gains  of hosting a successful World Cup tournament this year, the attention of the continent would once  again be shifted to South Africa as the 2010 African Women Champion get underway Sunday.

The tournament would hold between October 31 to November 14.

Eight teams in two groups of four would be slugging it out for the golden trophy.

The teams would be fighting hard with a place in 2010 FIFA Women World Cup in mind, the tournament serves as qualifying platform for the world stage.

Nigeria Super Falcons are strong contenders for the title as it had dominated the African football for so long.

The Super Falcons have won the title for a record seven times since it was inaugurated in 1991.

They won it in 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The last championship was hosted and won by Equatorial Guinea in 2008.

With the Nigerian team dominated by experienced and young players from the Under-17 and U-20 sides that performed well at the FIFA youth tournaments. There is rising optimism that the cup would return to Nigeria.

Nigeria who are grouped alongside hosts South Africa in Group A would begin their campaign against Mali on November 1 at the the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton.

The South Africans who have been to the finals thrice would hope that mother luck smiles on them when they open the tournament  against the less fancied Tanzanians on Sunday.

Nigeria and South African has been tipped to emerge from this group given their experience in the championship.

In Group B defending champions Equatorial Guinea confront Cameroon on November 2, while Algeria open their campaign against  one of the contenders, Ghana.

The Guinea side would hope to re-enact their devastating form on home soil two years ago but Pundits believe that it would be harder for them to emerge from a group which includes Ghana and Cameroon.

Nigeria’s coach, Eucharia Uche has however, expressed confidence that her team would make Nigerians proud and bring the trophy home for the eight time.

She hinged her confidence on the caliber of players in her squad and the fact that most of the players chosen on current form.

 

Akonte Samuel

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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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