Sports
CBN Promises More For Tennis Development
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will sustain its involvement in the development of sports in the country.
The Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele, stated this during the final of the 2022 CBN Junior Tennis Tournament held in Lagos.
The CBN Governor, who was represented at the event by the Corporate Communications Director of the bank, Osita Nwanisobi, stated that the journey in the last 16 years had witnessed the discovery of an array of talented young boys and girls, some of whom have gone on to achieve great feats in the game locally and on the international scene.
“When the Central Bank of Nigeria conceived the idea of sponsoring the CBN Junior Tennis Tournament in 2007, the main goals were to discover and groom teenage talents as well as nurture them.”
Murewa Egbeyemi and Seun Ogunsakin retained their titles at the 16th edition of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club (LLTC), Onikan.
Tidesports source reports that in the Boys 10 and under category, defending champion, Egbeyemi showed exceptional determination to overcome Dubem Amasiani, who won the last ITA Junior Circuit tournament in Port Harcourt, which Egbeyemi did not attend. It was a dogfight that lasted over an hour with some points going up to 30 solid rallies. But, once Egbeyemi broke for a 4-3 lead, he consolidated and held firm to retain his title 9-5.
It was a similar close and fiery contest between Nigeria’s two leading 16 and under players – Ogunsakin and Ganiyu Mubarak.
Mubaral led 5 – 3 and then 6-5 before Ogunsakin, popularly called Nadal by his fans, surged through to win four straight games from an obviously tiring opponent to retain his title.
The Girls’ events also recorded some upsets and interesting duels.
Jasmine Benjamin from the Apapa Club program followed through her semifinal upset of defending champion Khadijat Mohammed with a convincing 9-4 victory over second seed Success Ogunjobi from Ekiti. Ndifreke Benjamin, another player from the Apapa Club, won the Girls 12 & under beating Ndidi Osaji from the LLTC.
The host club also won the Girls 10 & under through Mofi Atilola, who beat Favour Okon-James from Akwa Ibom 9-3.
Isaako All Stars FC of Opuoko and Khana Khana AllStars Football all in Local Government Area of Rivers State will tomorrow engage in a friendly football match at Opuoko Mini Stadium.
Chatting with Tidesports in a telephone interview yesterday the Chairman of Khana All Stars Saro Tap-le said that the encounter is not going to be an easy game in spite it is an AllStars game.
He express his side readiness for the encounter stating that the opportunity as come for them to showcase their talents.
However, the chairman explained that AllStars game is not about winning but the excitement, love, unity and friendship it creates is more important.
” Tomorrow game is not going to be an easy one despite is a AllStars game. We are going there in a full force to do what we know how to do best and to showcase our talents.
“As Chairman of Khana All Stars I believes we have an edge over the Isaako All Stars be we are training so hard for the encounter” Tap-le said.
Also speaking the Chairman of Isaako All Stars Mina Zaasi Iloori sees the match as an opportunity to build relationships.
” My brother it is an AllStars friendly game I think winning is not important but the paramount thing is the relationship we are going to create among both teams and my community at large
” We are training hard because of the encounter because I will not be in my house and somebody will rob soap in my eyes.
” As I speak with you we are just coming from back training ground to ensure all my players are fit for the match.
” I am using this medium to call on football fans to come en mass to Opuoko Mini Stadium tomorrow and enjoy the best of round leather game.
I promise the game will be an exciting display of football talents and sportsmanship”, Iloori said.
Kiadum Edookor
Thierry Henry has called for the return of the away goals rule in the aftermath of the bombastic Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona.
The visitors at the Estadio Olimpic Lluis Companys came within milimeters of clinching the first leg of the final-four clash after former Arsenal star Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted late in the second-half.
But the linesman was quick to raise his flag, and semi-automated offside ruled out what would have been a thrilling conclusion to the high-octane 3-3 draw.
The hosts came from behind twice to share the spoils, chasing Inter Milan from the first minute of the game after Marcus Thuram stunned the Barcelona faithful into silence with his neatly flicked goal.
Denzel Dumfries doubled Inter’s lead 20 minutes later, but it took just three more for the Blaugrana to finally get on the scoresheet courtesy of a moment of magic from teenage starlet Lamine Yamal.
Ferran Torres drew Barcelona level ahead of the break, but Lamal was forced to play catch-up again in the second-half after Dumfries scored his second.
In light of the impressive effort from Inter, Henry wondered if the team should have got more from the fixture ahead of the second-leg at the San Siro.
‘I know it’s been like that for a very time, and we have to accept it,’ Henry said of the removal of the away goals rule, ‘But off air I was talking to Jamie (Carragher), and I was like, “how can you score three goals away from home and you don’t have an advantage?”
‘Away goals for me were massive, you score three goals away and you still don’t have an advantage 0-0 at home,’ Henry shrugged.
UEFA took the decision to scrap the rule which gave goals scored away from home the ability to act as a tiebreaker in the case of level scorelines ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Current FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger claimed during his time as Arsenal manager in 2015 that the away goals rule ‘encouraged the team at home not to attack’ and that ‘the weight of the away goal (was) too big today’.
Without the rules, the tie at San Siro will go to extra time and penalties to decide which teams books their spot in the Champions League final.
But based on Wednesday evening’s performance, Henry seemed to give Inter a fighting chance against the newly minted Copa del Rey champions.
The 2025 London Marathon set a new world record for the number of finishers despite hot conditions on Sunday for its 45th edition.
A total of 56,640 runners crossed the finish line at the end of the 26.2-mile route, Guinness World Records has confirmed.
The number surpassed the previous record of 55,646 set by the New York Marathon in November.
Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said he hoped the high number of finishers inspired people to apply for the 2026 race ballot.
“The London Marathon was already the most popular in terms of ballot entries, with 840,318 people applying for the 2025 race,” he said.
“It is also the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event with more than £1.3bn raised for charity since 1981.”
The number of people applying for the ballot to enter this year’s race broke the world record of 578,304 for the 2024 edition.
Of UK applicants 49% were female, while there was a 105% increase in applications from people aged between 20-29.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa surged to victory in the elite women’s race in a world record for a women’s only field, while Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe triumphed in the men’s event.