Sports

WAC: Kenyan golden girl, Faith Kipyegon wins women’s 1500m gold in Budapest

Published

8 months ago

August 23, 2023

Kenya’s 1500m world record holder, Faith Kipyegon, was in her element once again as she stormed to the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday, taking victory in 3:54.87.

The 29-year-old Kipyegon dominated the final from start to finish as she comfortably retained her world title in an event she has already set the world record in this year.

Another African, Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia took silver with a time of 3:55.69 while Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands settled for the bronze medal.

The win marked a remarkable season for Kipyegon as she had already broken the world record in her final pre-championship 1500m race before Budapest at the Florence Diamond League.

The Kenyan “Golden Girl” had also set a 5,000m record of 14:05.20 one week later in Paris, before going on to clock 4:07.64 to smash Hassan’s mile mark in July, leaving her as one of the standout favourites in Budapest.

After the race, Kipyegon told reporters:

“I wanted to run my race. We are all strong in the final. The ladies were very strong and I was pushing this race to that limit. These days in the 1500m, if you want to win, you must run, 3:55 and below”.

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Sports

Cameroon’s boxing icon Francis Ngannou loses 15-month-old son

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Cameroon’s heavyweight boxer and former UFC champion, Francis Ngannou, has been thrown into mourning with the loss of his 15-month-old son, Kobe.

The boxer who announced the demise of the infant in a post on X on Monday, he and his family have been hit by the blow following the death of the toddler.

“Too soon to leave but yet he’s gone,” Ngannou wrote.

“My little boy, my mate, my partner Kobe was full of life and joy. Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding.

“I was my best self next to him and now I have no clue of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most.”

The fighter’s manager, Marquel Martin, who also confirmed the death of the boy, posted online saying that he along with millions of others will be praying for the Cameroonian.

As the sad news continued to spread, martial arts colleague, Conor McGregor, was among the first to send his condolences to the 37-year-old boxer and former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star.

“I am so sorry to hear of your loss Francis, my prayers are with you and your family at this time,” the Irishman wrote on X.

Ngannou’s former MMA coach, Eric Nicksick also sent an emotional message too.

“It’s been a heavy few days, words can’t express the pain we all feel for the Ngannou family during this time,” Nicksick said.

Sports

Nigeria’s football federation appoints Finidi George as Super Eagles coach

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved the appointment of former international, Finidi George, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

The board of the Federation
on Monday, approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint George, a former Eagles winger, as the manager of the Nigeria’s men national football team.

Before his appointment, George, served as assistant to José Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily resigned from post after leading the Eagles to the final of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations where they lost 2-1 to host Cote d’Ivoire.

Following Peseiro’s departure, George took charge of the squad in interim capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.

He led the squad to a 2-1 victory over Ghana in the first match but lost 0-2 to Mali in the second game.

The 52-year-old George was a member of the Eagles team of the early 90s fondly called the “Golden Generation” that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and qualified Nigeria for its first ever senior FIFA World Cup in 1994.

During his playing career, George starred for Sharks of Port Harcourt and Calabar Rovers in Nigeria before moving abroad where he played for Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Real Betis of Spain.

He won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals and also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.

George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks.