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Briton Russell Cook makes history as first man to run the length of Africa

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A 27-year-old Briton from Worthing, West Sussex, UK, Russell Cook, who embarked on an audacious task of running the “full length of Africa,” successfully completed the race after crossing the finish line in Tunisia after 352 days.

Cook, nicknamed the “Hardest Geezer”, crossed the finish line on Sunday at about 16:40 BST in Ras Angela, Tunisia, to a tumultuous welcome by the excited crowd chanting his alias of “Geezer”.

Before setting off on the mammoth challenge to run the entire length of Africa, Cook had said he hoped to look back at his life and have no regrets but while speaking at the completion of the race, he said he had struggled with his mental health, gambling and drinking, and wanted to “make a difference”.

After running through 16 African countries, Cook also has raised more than £700,000 for charity.

Posting on his official X account, Cook said had initially planned to run 360 marathons in 240 days, with no rest days but a lot changed since he set off from the UK in February 2023.

According to him, his initial plan to run from Tunisia to South Africa, completing 360 marathons in 240 days with no rest days, but the plan was halted by a lack of an Algerian visa, an hindrance which he said was to resurface later.

He stated that that after a last-minute switch, he had to set off on foot from South Africa on 22 April, a journey that would take him through cities, rainforests, mountains and the Sahara Desert.

Cook”s management said he and his team had cameras, phones, cash and passports stolen in Angola in June last year.

“After ticking off South Africa and Namibia in 50 days, Mr Cook encountered his first major setback – an armed robbery,” the management said in a statement.

“But, as with many stumbling blocks he would face throughout the challenge, the ultrarunner vowed to soldier on.

“Mr Cook underwent medical tests in Nigeria for a recurring back pain. Consistently running more than a marathon a day began to take its toll.

“After some minor tummy troubles in the early weeks, he was forced to take his first rest day after doctors found blood and protein in his urine on day 45, but it was recurring back pain that caused the most concern.

“On day 200, Mr Cook was forced to reduce his mileage and intensity at the request of a doctor in Nigeria – even missing consecutive days on day 205 and 206.”

In his words, the “Hardest Geezer” said there was no stopping him.

“I took a couple of days to get some scans. No bone damage, so figured the only option left was to stop mincing about like a little weasel, get the strongest painkillers available and zombie stomp road again,” he said.

He said after some setbacks, all that separated him and the finish line was the small task of the Sahara Desert.

“The tarmac roads ran out, as did the signal and any signs of civilisation. But an end date was set: 7 April, 2024,” the management team continued.

“Ramping up his mileage to make up for lost time, Mr Cook made the decision to run through the night due to the intense daytime heat and sandstorms.

“Mr Cook finished running the length of Africa on 7 April
Months turned into weeks, and weeks turned into days.

“Finally, on Sunday afternoon, Mr Cook laced his trainers one last time – at least for now – as he set off for Tunisia’s most northerly point.”

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Former President of Moroccan club Raja sentenced to 3 years in prison

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The former President of Moroccan top club, Raja Casablanca, Mohamed Aouzal, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison after he was found guilty of fraud by a Casablanca Ain Sebaa Court of First Instance on Friday.

According to court documents, the case involved charges of breach of trust and issuing a bounced check in connection with his role in the insurance sector.

Other charges against Aouzal included financial misconduct, specifically breach of trust and issuing a check without sufficient funds.

The documents stated that the legal action against Aouzal stemmed from a lawsuit filed by an insurance company and was found guilty of owing the company nearly MAD 400 million (around $40 million) as the legal representative of an insurance brokerage firm.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court also imposed a fine of MAD 20 million (approximately $2 million) in favor of the plaintiff company.

Aouzal was arrested following investigations by Morocco’s National Judicial Police Brigade after which he was charged before the Public Prosecutor at the Ain Sebaa Court and was placed in custody at Oukacha Prison.

The lawsuit, according to Morocco World News, pointed to significant financial irregularities in Aouzal’s brokerage firm, alleging that it failed to meet its financial obligations and caused substantial losses for the insurance company.

“The trial began on December 10 after Aouzal’s initial court appearance. The court examined the evidence and heard extensive arguments before entering deliberations earlier this week.

“On Friday, the judge ruled in favor of the insurance company due to the significant monetary damages incurred,” the report said.

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Dumping England for Nigeria the best decision of my life— Ademola Lookman

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Current African Men’s Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, has attributed his rise in the football echelon to his decision to dump the English national team, The Three Lions, to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The Atalanta striker, who was named the African Player of the Year after a sterling 2024 season where he kept putting up superb performances for both club and country, credited the success of his career to his decision to snub England and commit to Nigeria.

“I think ever since I put on the Super Eagles jersey, it’s been fruitful,” Lookman said in an interview on SportyTV.

“We’ve been able to achieve a lot as a team and we’re still going as a team. But the camaraderie is something that’s very special within the squad.

“It is an incredible achievement and an incredible moment. It is special to join a list of many great players who have achieved a lot in the game. They are legends.

“There have been many special moments this year, and I can speak about a lot of good ones. But also the tough moments, like when you don’t feel like hitting the gym, but you push through and end up doing that session—it gives you more strength. Those difficult moments have given me that extra strength,” he said.

The Atalanta forward believes that his decision to represent Nigeria has contributed to a significant personal and professional growth, allowing him to continue thriving with the national team.

Before switching allegiance to play for the Super Eagles in 2022, Lookman had represented England at youth level, including winning the U-20 World Cup in 2017 but he had a stop-start career with stints at Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City, before he was shipped to Atalanta, initially on loan, before the move was made permanent.

But the turning point in Lookman’s career came when he decided to switch allegiance to Nigeria and has never looked back as everything he touched turned to gold.

The London-born Lookman made his Super Eagles debut in March 2022 against Ghana, and he has since described this moment as a turning point in his career.

He has scored eight goals and provided four assists and was the star man at the 2023 AFCON tournament where he netted three goals and registered one assist, and was named in the tournament team.

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