Category: Sports

Nigeria has emerged second place winner at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships with a total of 10 medals held in Mexico city.

China topped the medals table at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships with five gold, five silver and two bronze. Only two silver medals separated the Chinese from second-place Nigeria. Iran finished third followed by Egypt and Mexico. A total of 20 countries won medals in the World Championships, one more than at Dubai 2014.

Continue reading Nigeria Emerge 2nd At The 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships

Martin Odoh of Minna Cantonment Golf Club has emerged winner of the Plateau Governor’s Cup 2017 Golf Tournament in the professional category.

Martin Odoh defeated other players with the net score 298 with over 10 gross to emerge as winner and a cash prize of ₦1.864 million as his reward.

The prize money was ₦864,000 but Governor Simon Lalong gave him an additional ₦1 million as an encouragement.

Martin Odoh in his remarks after collecting the cheque, dedicated his victory to God the giver of victories. He said that he had longed for the victory and worked very hard and thanked God that he won.

The first runner-up was given ₦700,000 while second runner-up got ₦500,000 from the Governor.

In the amateur and veteran categories of the Plateau Governor’s Cup 2017 Golf Tournament, the winners went home with different gifts including televisions, deep freezers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and water dispensers.

Governor Lalong expressed happiness with the tournament having different golfers trooping to the state to compete.

The Governor said that his administration would work hard to sustain the existing peace to keep attracting people to the state.

Tang Dapoet, Captain, Lamingo Golf Club, said that it was the first time the tournament was played on 18 green holes since the club was established in 1968.

He commended the Governor and the sponsors for making tournament, which took place from Dec 11 to 17 [2017] a huge success.

Aruna Quadri has set a new personal record for Nigeria and himself as he is now ranked 21 in the end-of-the-year ranking released by the International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF.

The ranking was released on the 7th of December 2017 by the world table tennis ruling body.

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, in a statement said:

“This has helped him to displace Egypt’s Omar Assar as the continent’s best-ranked player in the world.

In spite of not matching the record set by Assar as the first African ranked among the top 20 in the world, Quadri ends the year as the highest-ranked African in the latest rating.’’

Following victories over top-ranked players at the Swedish Open, Aruna Quadri amassed 50 points to improve from 2457 to 2507 points to be rated 21 in the world ranking.

Prior to this latest ranking, the best achieved by Aruna Quadri in the world rating was 25 and with this, he has set a new record for Nigeria and himself.

Assar’s failure to be more active seems to have affected his rating, as the Egyptian dropped from 20 to 26 in the latest ranking.

In the words of the President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon:

“The feat is commendable as Quadri continues to put Nigeria and Africa on the world map with his scintillating performance at global stage.

We are excited about this latest ranking and this goes to show that our efforts are paying off and what we just need to do is to ensure we unearth and nurture more players like Quadri.

Also, the young players should take a cue from Quadri in terms of his diligence, professionalism and dedication to the trade.

I hope and believe they can follow his footsteps in their career to make it to the top.”

In the women’s ranking, Egypt’s Dina Meshref dropped to 110 from 92.

However, she still remains Africa’s best-ranked female player in the world, while Funke Oshonaike’s lack of playing time at global level continues to have a negative effect.

She dropped from 227 to 262 in the latest ranking.

Jamiu Azeez and Bose Odusanya have won the 49th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup title in the men’s singles and women’s singles respectively.

Jamiu Azeez, a semifinalist in 2015 dominated David Fayele to emerge victorious above the Union Bank Sports Club Fayele.

According to Jamiu Azeez on winning the 49th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup men’s single:

“I am so happy that my dream of being part of the winner of the prestigious competition came to pass. I have been featuring in this competition as a cadet player and I also took part in the junior event which I had won several times. But I have never won the senior title as I came close to the title in 2015 but I was edged out in the semifinal stage. Now my dream has come true and I could say that it was a bit easier for me to claim the title.”

Bose Odusanya won Ayinla 4-0 to retain her title in the women’s singles.

According to the chairman of the grand finale, Oba Otudeko:

“I must commend the children of Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas for upholding the ideal of their late father by ensuring that the tournament continues three years after the exit of their father. Sports is a unifying factor in Nigeria and table tennis is not an exception. I hope and believe we can get more superstars from this competition after the likes of Atanda Musa, Bose Kaffo and Funke Oshonaike came through it.”

The taekwondo team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) emerge winners of the 2017 Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championships held in Abuja.

The two-day 2017 Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo championships, organised by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) and sponsored by the Republic of Korea Embassy, had about 150 athletes in attendance. They were from three countries, namely: Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad, as well as 11 Nigerian states, two clubs and the para-military.

NSCDC, who are the defending champions and have dominated the last four editions of the tournament, once again emerged as champions.
The para-military team won with three gold, one silver and four bronze medals ahead of Q-Madi Club of Lagos, which came second with one gold, one silver and one bronze.
The third position went to the Niger Republic national team, which clinched one gold and one bronze medals, with Team Lagos winning one gold medal for the fourth position.

Also, in the senior male -58 kg, Abdumujeeb Sanusi of Q-Madi Club took the gold medal, while Charles Okon of Kebbi State settled for silver.
Chukwuka Okon of Delta State and Abdufathi Sanusi of Q-Madi were joint third and took home the bronze medals.

In the senior male -80kg, Djibo Kadri of Niger Republic claimed the gold medal, while Paul Ogundele from Kebbi State finished as a silver medalist.
Raymond Tiamiyu of NSCDC and Cameroon’s Bassonyam Blaise were joint bronze winners.

Results in the senior male -68kg category, had Seyi Olowookere of Lagos State claiming the gold, while Ajayi Ifeoluwa of Q-Madi took silver.
Muhammad Lawal of Kano State and Jingri Rachiduo of Niger Republic were joint bronze medalists in the category.

In the senior male +80kg, Sunday Onofe of NSCDC took gold, while Kenneth Ogbu of Plateau State settled for the silver.
Sadiq Abdulrahman of Plateau State and Ali Mohammed of Borno State finished in the third position.

The senior female -49kg category saw Sekinat Adebayo of Kano State claiming gold, while Laadi Luiser of Nasarawa State took silver.
Adeyanju Khadijat of Ahmadu Bello University of Zaria and Faith Etokhana of Kebbi State finished as joint third.

It was a clean sweep for NSCDC in the senior female +67kg as Uzoamaka Otuadinma, Chiamaka Onumonu and Pamela Orji took the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.
Joy Ikpeamaeze of the Federal Capital Territory also finished joint-third to settle for the bronze.

Margaret Binga, the NTF President, said the event had been a huge success, adding that a lot of talents were discovered at the end of the 2017 Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo championships.

In her words:

“This event has been a huge success and it represents how emphasis on youth development will be at the core of our strategy.

In fact, the goal of my administration is simple — to add more value to taekwondo practitioners through robust programmes.

There is no state in this country where we will not reach and no one will be left out, from the grassroots to the national level.”

The 2017 League Bloggers Awards (LBA) has produced winners in 13 categories covering the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the Nigeria National League (NNL) and the Nigeria Women’s Premier League (NWPL).

Ten players, one club and one coach were named winners in the different categories during the 2017 League Bloggers Awards (LBA) ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos.

Last season’s top scorer in the NPFL, Anthony Okpotu of Lobi Stars with 19 goals, added the LBA Player of the Season to the Highest Goalscorer award.

Plateau United winger, Peter Eneji was named Best New Player in the NPFL ahead of – Chinedu Udechukwu of Katsina United, Destiny Ashadi of Katsina United, Oche Salefu of Remo Stars and Wasiu Alalade of ABS FC.

MFM FC’s Benin Republic star, Giscard Tchatto claimed the Best Foreign Player, also in the top division. He got the award ahead of Kodjovi Dadzie of Akwa United, Fatau Dauda of Enyimba and FC Ifeanyiubah goalkeeper, Idrissa Bamba.

Nasarawa United goalkeeper, Suraj Ayeleso beat the trio of Akwa United’s Olorunleke Ojo, Mustapha Aliko of Niger Tornadoes and Dele Ajiboye of Plateau United to emerge Best NPFL Goalkeeper.

Daniel Itodo and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu were named Best NPFL Defender and Midfielder respectively.

In the two new categories, FC Robo’s Rasheedat Ajibade won the NWPL Player of the Season while Kwara United striker, Michael Ohanu emerged the NNL Player of the Season.

Sikiru Olatunbosun of MFM FC won the Goal of the Season in the NPFL for his eye-catching strike against former league champions, Enugu Rangers, and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who played for FC Ifeanyi Ubah last season, got the Best NPFL-based National Team Player award.

Plateau United won the Club of the Year and their trainer Kennedy Boboye got the award of Coach of the Year.

Plateau United FC emerged the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champion.

The Okpekpe international 10km road race has been elevated to an International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF Silver Label status for 2018.

According to Alessio Punzi, the IAAF Road Running Manager:

“Following a thorough review of your application; in recognition of the role played by your event for the promotion of elite road racing in your region, and of your efforts towards the improvement of the technical aspects of the event, the IAAF is happy to inform you that the Okpekpe Road Race 10KM is upgraded to IAAF Silver Label status for 2018.”

Spokesman for the race, Dare Esan stated:

“We are delighted the IAAF has recognised our leading role in promoting road running in Nigeria and the West African sub-region. The Okpekpe international 10km road race has set the pace for other road races in Nigeria [and] West Africa.

We are the first road race in West Africa to be designated by the IAAF as one of the leading road races around the world since the classification was introduced in 2008. For three years since 2015 the race was organised under the prestigious IAAF Road Race Bronze Label and and now we are the first road race to be granted a silver label status in West Africa.”

Dare Esan revealed the official Label certificate signed by the IAAF president, Lord Sebastian Coe has been received by the organisers of the race.

As disclosed by Dare Esan:

“The success story of the Okpekpe international 10km road race would not have been possible without the active role played by the Edo state government who provided the enabling environment, including a world class tarred road from Auchi to the hilly town of Okpekpe.

We are particularly grateful to His Excellencies, Comrade Adam Oshiomole, the immediate past governor of Edo state under whose watch the race was launched and his successor, Godwin Obaseki whose advice and words of encouragement have made the race better.

We are also grateful to the Honourable Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung who availed us of his presence at the fifth edition of the race on May 13 this year.”

Dare Esan believes the roles played by sponsors and media partners of the race as well as the Nigeria Police, the Directorate of state security (DSS), the Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have been massive.

Dare Esan further said:

“Supersports and Channels are our official media partners and they, like the rest of the media have projected the race, the hilly town of Okpekpe, Edo state and indeed Nigeria as a destination of sort in terms of sports.

We also thank our sponsors led by Ecobank for helping us achieve this historic feat.”

The sixth edition of the race will hold on Saturday May 12, 2018 in Okpekpe in Etsako East local government of Edo state and Dare Esan reveals it will be technology driven.

Dare Esan further revealed:

“In 2015 we scored another first when we engaged MYLAPS Sports Timing, the internationally recognised automatic sports timing company to provide the race with an easy to use, accurate and reliable timing system.

Last year we also launched a tracking application to help fans follow the progress of friends, family or any of the participants who ran at the fifth edition of the race last May.

The tracking application was the first to be launched for a road race in Nigeria and offers mobile features designed to address three core digital needs: information delivery, sponsor activation and race day experience.”