Category: Sports

Winners have emerged in the 2018 Africa Tour Event used as a test run for upcoming Africa Senior Athletics Championships. The Africa Tour Event was hosted at the newly built Stephen Keshi stadium in Asaba, Delta State.

Divine Oduduru won the 100 meters with a time of 10.44 seconds while the duo of Ogho-Oghene Egwero (10.46) and Enoch Adegoke (10.52) emerged second and third respectively.

After her heroics at the Commonwealth Games, Joy Udo Gabriel continued her fine run; winning the women’s 100 meters event ahead of Matthew Ubong and Blessing Ogundinmu.

In the men’s 400 meters, Isa Salihu was the top man with a time of 46.70 seconds while the duo of Orukpe Erayoikan and Achimaya Daniel finished second and third respectively.

In women’s one lap race, Patience Okon was the top athlete wining with a time of 51.49 seconds.

Yussuf Alli, the Technical Director for CAA Asaba 2018 stated:

“I can rate the Africa tour test event at 80%, we will correct the few mistakes we saw but all said and done we are ready to host Africa in August.”

The 21st African senior Athletics Championships will be taking place August 1-5 at the Stephen Keshi stadium.

CAA Asaba 2018, LOC chairman Solomon Ogba said he was proud to be part of history while also thanking all that worked tirelessly to make the Stephen Keshi Stadium a reality.

Team Rivers have emerged as the best state at the 2018 Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship in Abuja.

The state dethroned Lagos state to win the title with trophy and ₦100,000 prize. Lagos and Oyo states came second and third best respectively.

Moses Peter, representing Akwa Ibom state emerged the individual champion after winning 17.5 games with 1,247 aggregate. Moses Peter is the first Nigerian to win the national championship twice, also won trophy and ₦150,000.

Ogedengbe Olawale came second in that category with 17.5 games and 939 aggregate as well as ₦100,000.

The 2015 world scrabble champion, Wellington Jighere, came third with 17 games with 453 aggregate and went home with ₦70,000.

Moses Peter dedicated his victory to God, saying that hard work and the fact that he read hard and had been competing with others helped him a lot.

Emmanuel Sylvester and Sarah Adegoke have emerged winners of the 40th edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship.

Emmanuel Sylvester in the men’s category, ended his third final encounter with Babalola 6-3, 7-6 and 6-4 as well as defeating NTF number one seed, Joseph Imeh, in the quarter-final. Sarah Adegoke in the women’s category defeated Agugbom, a former Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) number one seed 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

In the words of Emmanuel Sylvester:

“I played very good tennis and it worked for me, I thank God for that. I was happy to defeat my opponent (Babalola) in our third encounter today; it was not easy winning this tournament but I thank God for His blessings.”

However, Babalola and Agugbom still emerged winners with final cups in the men and women’s double.

Babalola paired with Lawal Shehu to defeat Nonso Madueke and Henry Atseye 6-2, 6-3. In addition, Agugbom and Blessing Samuel equally won the women doubles trophy by defeating Rose Abu and Bukola Olowu 6-2, 6-1.

Also in the CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship, which is usually organized in collaboration with NTF, the physically challenged persons participated.

Alex Adewale defeated Wasiu Yusuf in the men’s Wheelchair tennis final 6-1, 6-1, while Kafayat Omisore won Chituru Nwaozuzu 6-1, 6-3 in finals of women wheelchair tennis.

Ifedayo Akindoju, NTF President said:

“I am happy for the successful conclusion of this 40th edition of CBN open, which is the first to be hosted by our board.

More tournaments are going to come up this year through the board’s efforts which will further develop the game of tennis in the country.

We will continue to appeal to CBN and other supporting sponsors of the game so that an academy can be established which will greatly influence our global performance in not distant future.”

CBN Open and Dala Hard Court are the two national tournaments currently organized by NTF to rank tennis players.

Sunday Olapade has won the B & E golf tournament after defeating the defending champion Visitor Mapwanya in a six holes play off. The win is Olapade’s second West Africa Golf Tour victory this season.

Sunday Olapade started the day three shots off the lead but after a birdie-bogey start, he added gains in holes 3, 5, 16 and 18 to record his lowest round of the tournament 68 to force a play off with Mapwanya who had extended his lead with an eagle on hole 2 followed by a birdie on hole 3 to go to eight-under in the first nine holes.

However, Mapwanya’s lead diminished with bogeys on 10, 13 and 15.

Vincent Torgah finished third place after shooting a final round of one-under to get to three-under after 72 holes. 
The Ghanaian entered the final round two shots behind the leader after scoring the lowest round of the tournament 67 but could not keep the momentum of day 3.

In the words of Sunday Olapade on his victory:

“Visitor Mapwanya is the Number one in his country and Vincent Torga is also Number one in Ghana, so it’s not easy beating them.”

The Nigerian Number one said hard work, dedication and the grace of God propelled him to victory.

President of West Africa Golf Tour Emeka Okatta, the organiser of the B & E golf tournament expressed satisfaction with the level of competition at the tournament, adding that the players have been improving with every tournament.

Nigeria has emerged overall winner of the 2018 Ivory Coast International Badminton Championships; competed in four out of five categories, with three gold, one silver and one bronze – same number of medals the country won last year.

In the mixed doubles event, Clement Krobakpo and Dorcas Adesokan beat Chongo Mulenga and Evelyn Siamupangila of Zambia to clinch gold.  In the men’s doubles, Godwin Olofua and Anu Opeyori defeated the pair of Perderson Mathias (Denmark) and Persson Jonathan (Germany).

Adesokan defeated fellow Nigerian Ruth Ebere to win the women’s singles while Opeyori lost to Adams Mendrak of the Czech Republic in the men’s singles.

Twelve countries participated in the 2018 Ivory Coast International Badminton Championships, which is one of the International Series in the Badminton World Federation’s calendar in Africa.

The participating countries were Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Belgium, Sweden, Maldives,  Denmark,  Jordan,  Mexico,  Czech Republic, Germany and  Ivory Coast, who are the hosts.

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria Francis Orbih stated:

“The players did well in Abidjan and we are proud of them.

This was even a team that we had to reduce because of funding challenges. I believe that Dorcas and Clement will do us proud at the 2020 Olympics because they are raking in the points needed to qualify.”

Mr. Orbih said the Ghana International Badminton Championships and the Lagos International Classics are next for the players.