Sports

NCF U-17 Zonal Qualifiers, Girls Finals Begin, Today

Published

5 years ago

January 27, 2021

The girls finals for the National Under 17 cricket zonal qualifier, which kicked off 15 January, 2021 to select cricketers that will represent the country at the African Cricket Championsip commences today in Benin City.
This was disclosed by the Head Coach, Rivers State Cricket Association, Tonye Timinadi, during an interview with Tidesports yesterday.
According to him, the finals for girls category starts today and ends 31 of this month. while the boys finals is scheduled to kick off 4th and last through 7th February, this year.
“The best players from the various teams would be selected to form a zonal team in the finals,” Timinadi added.
The boys zonal qualification series across 6 zones ended Sunday with Kaduna State emerging champions in the North West, as they beat Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kano to maintain 100 percent record in that zone.
Edo State again proved to be too strong in the South-South zone after beating Akwa Ibom State in the final match to leave them unscratched throughout the series.
The North Central region experienced the dominance of the ‘Old Lady’, Kwara State as team FCT, Kogi and Plateau all fell under the onslaught of what could be described as an all round display of proper cricket.
The usual suspects in the South West continued their fierce rivalry for supremacy. In the end, Lagos State took their pound of flesh in the final against Ogun to reign supreme and finish champions in the zone.
Also, in the South East, Anambra retains champions status and bragging rights after beating Abia, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi States respectively.
Earlier in the Week, Gombe State in the North East already had a playoff game to complete the zonal qualification series in the boys category.
The climax of the event was the donation of kit bags to all the states in the South-South region by the Zonal representative and Vice President of the Federation, Mr Uyi Akpata.
Coach Timinadi said the gesture was following the backdrop of other support system over the years, to ensure the continuous growth and development of the sport in the zone.

Sports

LGA Boss Pledges To Reintroduce School Sports

Published

3 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The chairman of the Khana Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, Bariere Thomas, has revealed that plans are underway to commence school sports at the primary and secondary school levels in the area.

According to him, school sports that were primarily used to discover young talents had become a thing of the past, adding that one of the ways to discover young talents is to organize programs that will expose talents at the grassroots level.

Thomas said this on Saturday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after a novelty football match between Khana All-Stars and council appointees.

The match was held to mark the birthday of Felix Ibor, the Supervisor for Education in Khana LGA, at the Bori Police Station field.

The LGA boss reiterated that organizing competitive sporting events in primary and secondary schools is one of the best ways to bring out the best in young people and help to achieve their potential.

“What we are doing in the Khana Local Government Area is to consolidate on the sports we know, which are wrestling, cycling, football, and others,” he said.

He added that he is concerned about the competitive nature of wrestling on the global stage; at Khana LGA, for instance, they are focusing on how to consolidate the sports they know more about.

Thomas described Felix Ibor as an academic whom he has known and worked with since before he became LGA chairman.

He commended both teams for the novelty match, saying that it was held to celebrate Ibor’s birthday.

Ibor thanked the chairman and both teams for celebrating with him, and he prayed that God would also bless them.

Meanwhile, Ibor also presented a set of Jessy to the chairman for the council team.

Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Ezechukwu Eyes Double Gold In African Champs

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

Teenage Nigerian sprinter Miracle Ezechukwu has set her sights on winning both the 100m and 4x100m relay titles at the 24th African Athletics Championships in Accra, while also targeting a new personal best in the process, Tidesports source.

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.

Sports

Amusan Targets Third African Hurdles Title In Accra

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

World record holder and five-time national champion Tobi Amusan will target a third African 100 metres hurdles title as she begins her campaign at the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, which gets underway at the University of Ghana

Amusan arrives with an impressive record at the continental championships, having won five gold medals across individual and relay events.

She won the 100m and 4x100m relay titles at Asaba 2018, repeated the sprint hurdles and relay double at Mauritius 2022, and added another relay gold at Douala 2024.

She was, however, expected to challenge for a third 100m hurdles crown in Douala but did not compete in the individual event for personal reasons, instead featuring in the relay.

Liberia’s Ebony Morrison is the reigning champion in the women’s 100mH after setting a championship record of 12.7s, ahead of South Africa’s Marione Fourie and Madagascar’s Sidonie Fiadanantsoa.

Even though Amusan is expected to have an easy path to reclaiming the title, compatriots Adaobi Tabugbo and Janet Sunday will be in contention to challenge her.

Tabugbo is familiar with the championship stage, having previously placed fifth in the 100mH at Douala 2024 while also winning relay gold alongside Amusan.