Sports

SA sprint star Akani Simbine upstages Olympic champion at Oslo Diamond League

Published

7 months ago

May 31, 2024

It was a good outing for South African sprint sensation, Akani Simbine, at the Oslo Diamond League held on Thursday night when he dusted current Olympic 100m champion, Marcell Jacobs of Italy, to take home the gold medal with time of 9.94 seconds.

Simbine was the standout performer in a strong field of some of the best sprinters which had the likes of Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown who finished second in 9.99 seconds and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme who clocked 10.01 seconds to finish third, while Jacobs ran 10.01 to settle for fourth.

Simbine’s time was a season’s best for him after starting slow out of the blocks but produced a strong second half and a savage dip to claim victory ahead of the field.

Speaking after race, Simbine, 30, said:

“It ended up in the rain which probably influenced the race but at the end of the day we all have to run 100m rain or not and get to the line first.

“I did that today which I am happy with but I have a lot to work on and a lot to do. I am happy with my performance and I hope there will be more highlights coming up as we build towards the Olympic Games.”

“I put my marker out to the world today that I am here. The goal was the win today and I did that. Getting the win always helps with confidence as we get closer to Paris.”

Also speaking, Jacobs said his attention would now turn the 7-12 June European Championships in Rome.

“I am good but I haven’t yet run sub-10, but today it was important to get a good feeling in my race.

“I did that today and I start getting in shape to run the best in my home town in Rome at the European Championships in front of my people.”

Jacobs had won gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, and backed it up with a second gold in the 4x100m relay.

He followed his performances with victories over the world indoor 60m in Belgrade in 2022 and the 100m at the European championships later that year.

But he has suffered a number of injuries, something he says led him to moving from Italy to the United States to train in Rana Reider’s camp alongside Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse and Sani Brown among others.

“The last two years have been difficult with injury but now I have moved to the US for training and have a new coach so things are going well,” Jacobs said.

“It is Olympic year and I want to defend my title of course, so I mustn’t push my body too quickly too soon but I will be ready,” he added.

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Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)