Sports

No home advantage! Nigeria behind Kenya, S’Africa as championships end

Published

5 years ago

August 6, 2018

Home advantage meant little as host nation Nigeria placed third on the overall medals table at the 21st African Athletics Championships, behind Kenya and South Africa.

On the final day of the five-day event held in Asaba, Nigeria added three gold medals to finish with a total of nine golds, five silvers and five bronze, totaling 19 medals.

Grace Anigbata won gold in the women’s long jump, Glory Nathaniel added another gold medal in the women’s 400m hurdles, while the quartet of Patience Okon-George, Abike Egbeniyi, Shade Abugan, and Yinka Ajayi claimed the gold medal for Nigeria in the women’s 4X400m final.

In the men’s 200m, Divine Oduduru finished second, winning a silver medal for Nigeria, behind South African pair of Ncincilili Titi and Loxolo Adams, who clinched gold and bronze, respectively.

Nigeria’s 4X400m men relay team won a bronze medal, finishing behind Kenya (gold) and South Africa (silver).

Other big Africa winners on the day included, Caster Semenya, who defended her women’s 800m final title and broke the African Championships record previously held by Maria Mutola, while Maria-Josee To Lou of Ivory Coast completed the golden double in the sprints at the competition, winning the 200m event.

It was a clean sweep for Kenya in the 3000m steeplechase, the trio of Beatrice Chepkpech, Celliphine Chespol and Cherono Fancy making it on to the podium in that order.

On the final medals table, overall winners Kenya finished with 11 gold, six silver and two bronze. South Africa came second with nine gold, 13 silver.

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Sports

FIFA honours Osimhen after amazing season with Napoli

Published

19 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Following his record-breaking season with Napoli where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A top scorer award, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has been honoured by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The world football governing body Tuesday presented Osimhen with a customized jersey and soccer ball for his “superb displays for Napoli in the 2022/23 season,” which led to Napoli winning the Scudetto after a 33-year wait, according to an official of FIFA, Gelson Fernandes, in a “special message” to the 24-year-old Nigerian forward.

“Victor Osimhen, you represent at the moment what football can do,” Fernandes wrote in an Instagram post.

“From Lagos to Napoli where people love you, you have suffered, but your love for football and determination have guided you.

“Keep going, keep pushing. Africa needs examples and millions are watching and dreaming.”

Osimhen became the first African to win the highest goal scorer award, while also becoming the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win both the Capocannoniere and the Scudetto in the same season, a record which has stood for 14 long years.

His horde of honours was also enhanced with a National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic bestowed on him by former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Sports

Tunisian tennis star, Ons Jabeur zooms into French Open quarter-finals

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Tunisian tennis sensation, Ons Jabeur took a step further in her quest to win the 2023 French Open Grand Slam when she defeated World number 36, Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-1 to zoom into the quarter-finals.

Jabeur, ranked number 7 in the world, and who only won her first WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open last year, has since then been facing a downward slide coupled with injuries which saw her either missing out on some tournaments or crashing out in early rounds.

However, the 28-year-old who became the first ever African woman to reach a Grand Slam final last year, was at her best when she defeated Pera to move to the next stage on Monday night.

Though Jabeur was not at her fluent best and was herself broken three times in the first set and at the start of the second set, she still raced through the final six games, sealing victory in 63 minutes.

“I never thought about something was missing or I didn’t reach all four of them,” the African said after the match.

“Maybe it’s a good thing. It came and hopefully, we’ll set it to all semi-finals and then all finals,” she added.