Sports

AFN To Open Season With All-Comers Championships

Published

15 years ago

January 21, 2011

The 2011 Nigerian athletics season will begin with the National All Comers Championships next month, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) announced on Wednesday in Abuja.

The championships, which are in three editions, are the first on the list of major athletics events the federation has planned for the year.

According to AFN’s calendar of activities, the first edition of the All-Comers championships will hold from February 18 to February 19 in Ibadan, after the affiliation and registration of clubs, states and teams this month.

A copy of the calendar made available to Tidesports also shows that a 10km/5km road race is also scheduled for February, on a date and venue yet to be decided, while seven events have been lined up for March.

The second and third editions of the All-Comers Championships are to hold from March 4 to March 5 in Lagos and from March 18 to March 19 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

AFN is also planning to send a team to the first African Cross-Country Championships scheduled for March 6 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Two 5km road races are also planned for the month on dates and venues yet to be fixed, while AFN is proposing a team to the 39th IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, on March 20.

According to the calendar, March 25 and March 26 will witness the Pastor D.K. Olukoya Under-16 and Under-18 National Trials at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

Four activities have been planned for April, including the Chief of Naval Staff/AFN Golden League scheduled for Abuja from April 15 to April 16, and the CAA Region II Junior Championships.

The junior championships, which are continental events, are to hold from April 27 to April 30 at a venue to be decided later by the AFN.

In May, two of AFN’s four activities include two editions of the AFN Golden League, with the one named after Bishop David Oyedepo will hold from May 6 to May 7 in Kaduna.

The other one named after Pastor Enoch Adeboye will hold in Warri from May 20 to May 21, while the federation will send a team to the African Youth Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, scheduled for May 12 to May 15.

The leagues will culminate in the Final Golden League from June 3 to June 4 at a venue to be picked later, with the annual Mobil championships holding in Calabar.

The event, which has been renamed the Nigeria/Cross River/NNPC/ExxonMobil Track and Field Championships, will hold from June 23 to June 27.

Similarly, the 5th Abuja CAA Grand Prix will hold on July 2, while upcoming Nigerian athletes will take part in the National Sports Festival scheduled for Port Harcourt from June 29 to July 9.

The AFN is, however, looking into the possibility of sending some Nigerian athletes to the 7th IAAF World Youth Championships scheduled for Lille, France, from July 6 to July 10.

Preparations will thereafter commence for the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics scheduled for Daegu, South Korea, from August 27 to September 4.

According to the calendar, the 10th All-Africa Games will hold from Sept. 3 to Sept. 18 in Maputo, Mozambique, and the Commonwealth Youth Games from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13 at the Isle of Man, a former British colony.

Those preparations, as well as attendance of the World Mountain Running Championships and Congress in Albania from September 8 to September 12, will thus keep the AFN busy later in July and August.

The National Obudu Mountain Race is to hold in Cross River on Oct. 8, ahead of the 7th Obudu International Mountain Race and 3rd African Challenge at the same venue on November 26.

The Lagos Marathon, of which no date has been fixed, will round off the country’s athletics programme for the year in December.

Sports

Enekwechi wins Orlen Cup in season opener

Published

5 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi began his 2026 season with victory at the Orlen Cup in ?ód?, producing a dominant 20.82m throw to win the men’s shot put at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Poland, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Africa record holder finished ahead of Romania’s Andrei Toader, who placed second with 20.55m, while Serbia’s Armin Sinan?evi? took third on 19.93m.

Poland’s Szymon Mazur, the best-placed home athlete, finished fourth with 19.69m, with Italy’s Nick Ponzio completing the top five on 19.58m.

The rest of the field was headed by Piotr Go?dziewicz (18.02m), Jakub Korejba (17.55m), Wojciech Marok (17.48m), Damian Rodziak (17.23m) and Ukraine’s Maksym Lebediuk (15.75m).

Enekwechi’s winning mark gave him a clear margin over the field and underlined his status as one of world’s leading throwers, as he laid down an early marker for the new campaign in his traditional season-opening competition.

The result also marked an improvement shift in his Orlen Cup history. This was his third consecutive appearance at the meeting and his third straight season opener with the event, having previously finished second in 2024 with 21.14m and again in 2025 with 20.88m.

On this occasion, he converted consistency into victory, finally standing on the top step of the podium in ?ód?.

Enekwechi is the reigning two-time African champion in the shot put, a silver medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a two-time African Games champion, having won titles in 2019 and 2023.

His performance in Poland continues a career trajectory that has established him as Nigeria’s leading figure in the event and one of the continent’s most reliable performers on the global circuit.

The women’s competition at the meeting was won by Poland’s Zuzanna Ma?lana.

With the 2026 season now under way, Enekwechi’s opening victory at the Orlen Cup sets an early tone for the year ahead, as he builds momentum towards major continental and international championships.

The next edition of the Orlen Cup is scheduled to take place in ?ód? in February 2027.

Sports

Simba open Nwabali talks

Published

5 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

Tanzanian giants Simba have opened discussions over a potential move for Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as they look to reinforce their squad following an injury to first-choice shot-stopper Moussa Camara, Tidesports source reports.

The 29-year-old, who plays for South Africa Premiership side Chippa United, is in the final six months of his contract and is eligible to enter pre-contract negotiations with foreign clubs.

Foot Africa reported that Simba are exploring the possibility of bringing Nwabali to Dar es Salaam either during the current window or on a free transfer at the end of the season, although no agreement has been reached.

“Sources have indicated that Simba are in active talks with the player’s camp in a bid to lure him to Dar es Salaam in the ongoing window or on a free transfer – but no agreement reached,” Foot Africa reported.

Simba’s interest has been accelerated by Camara’s knee injury, which prompted the club to move quickly to sign Mahamadou Tanja Kassila from Niger’s AS FAN.

The club are reportedly considering deregistering Camara to accommodate the new foreign signing, a situation that has frustrated the Guinea international, who has asked for the remaining six months of his contract to be terminated.

In their search for a longer-term solution, Simba identified Nwabali as a prime target, although formal negotiations with his club have yet to begin.

“Simba identified Nwabali as the ideal successor to Camara, but the club is yet to submit a formal bid to Chippa United, who are open to offers,” Foot Africa added.

Nwabali’s profile has continued to rise following his performances for Nigeria, most notably at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he kept four clean sheets in seven matches as the Super Eagles secured a bronze medal.

Sports

Falconets, Senegalese Lionesses arrive Ibadan for qualifier

Published

5 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

Oyo State is set to return to the continental football spotlight as it prepares to host Nigeria’s Falconets in a crucial 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against Senegal’s Lioness of Teranga.

The highly anticipated encounter is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan. The Oyo State Government said the state was selected for the fixture following its successful hosting of a previous Falconets’ qualifier, further underlining its growing profile as a destination for international sporting events.

In a statement on Monday Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, confirmed that preparations were in top gear to ensure a hitch-free match. She said the choice of Oyo State as host was a reflection of confidence in the state’s sporting infrastructure, organisational competence and security architecture.

She recalled the emphatic victory recorded by the Falconets against Rwanda at the same venue last year, describing the match as a testament to the state’s readiness to stage major sporting events.

“The successful hosting of the Falconets against Rwanda showcased Oyo State’s world-class facilities and our capacity to organise international fixtures that meet global standards,” Adegoke said. “The Lekan Salami Stadium has continued to serve as a fortress for our national teams, and we are confident the Falconets will once again make the nation proud.”

Adegoke also disclosed that the Falconets are expected to arrive in Ibadan today ahead of the qualifier, to allow ample time for acclimatisation and final preparations. She added that the team would enjoy full logistical support from the state throughout their stay.

The Falconets, who reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Japan 14 years ago, will go into the last round of the qualifying series if they win this encounter, to confront the winner of the Guinea-Bissau/Malawi fixture, for one of Africa’s four tickets at the final tournament.

The 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in Poland, from September 5 to 27, 2026.