Sports

Nigerian stars win gold for Bahrain at Asian Games

Published

6 years ago

August 27, 2018

Nigerian-born Bahrain sprinter Edidiong Odiong on Sunday won gold at the 18th Asian Games women’s 100m final at the 76,127-capacity Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 21-year-old, who ditched Nigeria for a lucrative deal with the island country in 2015, dipped late to finish in 11.30secs to become Asia’s fastest woman.

Although Odiong, who won the 400m event at the 2013 African Youth Athletics Championships in Warri and represented Nigeria at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships in Oregon, United States, switched her international allegiance to Bahrain in 2015, she was cleared by the International Association of Athletics Federations to compete for her new owners the following year.

Abbas Abubakar, Salwa Naser (Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu) and Kemi Adekoya had earlier dumped Nigeria for cash-rich Bahrain.

Naser won the women’s 400m gold after finishing in 50.09secs while India’s Hima Das arrived in 50.79secs to claim silver.

The 20-year-old, who ran 50.06secs to win silver in the London 2017 World Championships, has won four legs of the Diamond League Series this year. She has so far won three gold for her adopted country since she started competing for them after her first success at the 2014 Arab Junior Athletics Championships in Cairo.

In men’s 100m Nigerian-born runner Femi Ogunode claimed silver in a time of 10 secs.

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Sports

Wafcon 2024 draw throws up interesting pairings

Published

21 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The draw for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) holding in Morocco from July 5 to 26 next year which was held on Friday, threw up some interesting match-ups to look forward to as hosts Morocco found themselves in what has been described as the group of death.

The Atlas Lionesses will have to contend with Zambia, DR Congo and Senegal in Group A, while Group B has record 11-time continental champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria slugging it out with Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana, just as current defending champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa will do battle with Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in Group C.

The top two sides in each group will progress to the quarter-finals, alongside the two best third-placed finishers.

Though qualification for the 2024 Wafcon was completed in December last year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was forced to push the finals into 2025 because of international football’s congested calendar, which included the participation of Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics.

Morocco also staged the 2022 edition of Wafcon, ending as runners-up, and former international Fatiha Laassiri believes home support will provide “a real advantage” next year.

Wafcon 2024 group draw with world ranking in brackets:

Group A: Morocco (hosts, 59), Zambia (62), Senegal (83), DR Congo (102).

Group B: Nigeria (36), Tunisia (78), Algeria (84), Botswana (153).

Group C: South Africa (holders, 50), Ghana (66), Mali (81), Tanzania (145).

Sports

Ghanaian winger Fatawu out for season with ACL injury

Published

3 days ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana and Leicester City winger, Abdul Fatawu, has been ruled out of the rest of the EPL season after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury during Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Angola in a 2025 AFCON match during the international break.

Leicester coach, Steve Cooper, who announced the news on Thursday, said the 20-year-old enterprising player suffered a “serious” knee injury which will see him out for the rest of the season.

“It’s not good, it’s a serious injury,” Cooper said ahead of his side’s home tie against Chelsea on Saturday.

“He’s had an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury that is going to rule him out for the rest of the season. It’s a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.

“Albeit, it can be quite common in sport and in particular football, but it’s still a serious injury. For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.

“He’s obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.

“It’s only a pause and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case,” the gaffer said.

Fatawu has been a key player for the Foxes, helping them gain promotion last season and has played 11 times for them in the league during the present campaign, scoring two goals.