The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Security sub-committee tours venues

    Security sub-committee tours venues

    The Security Sub-committee for the 18th National Sports Festival on Tuesday began a tour to ascertain the security needs of the venues for the event.

    The Chairman, ACP Vincent Brown, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that they would also determine the number of policemen to be deployed to the venues.

    “The security of all athletes and non-athletes taking part in the competition is an issue the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Mako, is not taking lightly. My Committee is working according to the guidelines given to me which does not in any way jeopardise the state’s interest,’’ Brown said.

    He said the police authorities had made available 18,000 policemen for the event and that the inspection was to optimally engage the officers. The venues inspected on Tuesday were the Games Village at Surulere, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    The sub-committee’s chairman said that before the arrival of states’ contingents from Nov. 25, all the security arrangements would have been made. He added that the venues had their peculiar security challenges and that there was need to tailor security plans along those lines.

    The security chief, who declined to reveal the detailed security arrangements, assured participants of their safety during the biennial Games holding from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9 in Lagos.

    NAN reports that the committee will continue the inspection at Yaba College of Technology and Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Yaba today.

  • Emedolu, Metu, others to bear festival torch in Anambra

    Emedolu, Metu, others to bear festival torch in Anambra

    Two top athletes from the South East zone are among those slated to carry the National Sports Festival torch — the `Torch of Unity’ — when it arrives in Awka on Wednesday.

    They are retired sprinters Uchenna Emedolu and Obinna Metu. Jonny Igboka, Onyinye Okafor and Osita Okagwu are also slated to join them.

    Dr Cyprian Amuzie, the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Anambra sports ministry, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Tuesday that all was set for a memorable reception of the torch.

    He said that on arrival, the torch would be taken through major roads in the capital as well as the city centre. Amuzie said the tour would commence at Amawbia Junction and proceed through Eke Awka to Arroma Junction before heading for the Government House.

    According to him, at the Government House, the sports commissioner will hand the torch over to Gov. Peter Obi. Already, the Zonal Co-ordinator of the National Sports Commission (NSC), South East Zone 1, Mr Stanley Okebugwu, has arrived in Awka to facilitate the reception.

    Okebugwu expressed the optimism that the Anambra sports ministry was prepared for the event. He explained that he came ahead of the torch to ensure a good reception.

    The torch will arrive in Awka from Delta State while the Games are scheduled for Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

  • Klitschko, Wach talk November 10 clash

    Wladimir Klitschko (58-3, 51 KOs) and Mariusz Wach (27-0, 15 KOs) participated Monday in the fight week press conference at the Google Germany HQ in Hamburg to talk about their fight on November 10. IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO and “The Ring Magazine” Heavyweight Champion Klitschko and his undefeated Polish contender Wach will face off next Saturday at the o2 World Arena Hamburg, Germany.

    Wladimir Klitschko: “It took quite a time and I have put a huge effort in getting these belts. I am 100 per cent prepared to defend my titles again and I know what I will be facing in the ring on Saturday. I will defend the titles that I won together with Emanuel Steward.”

    Mariusz Wach: “I know it will be a very difficult fight but I am prepared for anything. If it’s gonna be 12 rounds, I am prepared, if it’s gonna be a technical fight I am prepared. I will do anything to get Klitschko’s titles. This fight will be very special and will be memorized by the boxing fans.”

    For the first time, the press conference was also broadcasted on the official Klitschko Brothers’ Google+ page (www.google.com/+Klitschko). Fans and journalists worldwide were thus able to follow Klitschko and Wach five days before their fight.

    During the press conference it was also announced that Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, the two World Heavyweight Champions, will continue to have their fights on German TV station RTL. Bernd Bönte, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group GmbH, and RTL Sports Chief Manfred Loppe signed a new contract for five further fights, regardless of which brother enters the ring.

    KMG and RTL have been working together very successfully for six years already. In 21 fights the brothers always left the ring victorious, drawing TV crowds of up to 16 million viewers only in Germany.

    Bernd Bönte: “Together we are creating great shows and neither the brothers nor myself can think of a better TV partner than RTL.”

    A video and pictures of the press conference are available on the Klitschko Facebook and Google+ page.

     

  • Banyana seek first win against Falcons

    Banyana seek first win against Falcons

    • Coach insists team good enough

     

    Banyana Banyana are aiming for their first ever win against Nigeria when the two sides meet in the semi-final of the African Women’s Championships in Bata, Equatorial Guinea today

    “We know we are competitive enough to match Africa’s number one side,” coach Joseph Mkhonza said on Tuesday.

    “We came to this tournament with the aim of improving our world ranking of 56th – and African ranking of fourth – and now need to deliver to meet our objective.”

    The top four African nations – Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and South Africa – all qualified for the semi-finals this week so a win against Nigeria would see Banyana move up the rankings.

    Banyana Banyana played to a one-all draw with Nigeria in an international friendly in Rustenburg earlier this year and shared a goalless draw in Lagos two weeks later.

    Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies striker Andiswe Mgcoyi is the current joint leading goal-scorer in the tournament with four goals, having scored the only goal of the match against Senegal and a hat-trick against the Congolese.

     

  • Team Nasarawa to use customised kits

    Team Nasarawa is to don customised jerseys and kits at the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Lagos, to enhance its performance, the state’s Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Daniel Ogazi said on Monday.

    Ogazi disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia. He said that the customised jerseys and kits were manufactured by a sporting outfit based in Austria. The commissioner said the jerseys and sporting shoes were designed in consonance with the prevailing weather situation in Lagos.

    “We had to send them the exact temperatures in Lagos, to enable the manufacturers to be able to develop the kits. As we speak, most of the consignments have arrived in Lagos. It might interest you to know that the bicycles our athletes will use in Lagos, for instance, are the type used at the 2012 Olympic Games in London,” he added.

    Ogazi said over 70 athletes would be representing the state in 11 sports at the festival, stressing that a Local Organising Committee (LOC) was being constituted by the State government, to ensure a successful outing for the team.

     

     

     

     

  • IAAF award: Bolt nominated, Mo Farah snubbed

    IAAF award: Bolt nominated, Mo Farah snubbed

    The IAAF said on Monday that Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica heads a shortlist also including Aries Merritt of the United States and Kenya’s David Rudisha for the accolade of World Athlete of the Year.

    The IAAF will unveil the winner at its Centenary Gala on November 24 in Barcelona

    Bolt, Merritt and Rudisha gained the most votes in a three week poll.

    Meanwhile, Mo Farah has been overlooked for IAAF Male Athlete of Year award shortlist despite winning London Olympic double gold

    Usain Bolt headlines the shortlist for the 2012 IAAF Male Athlete of the Year award but there is no place for double Olympic champion Mo Farah.

    Bolt dismissed doubts over his form and fitness at London 2012 by sweeping to gold in both the 100 metres and 200m. He then played a key role as Jamaica smashed the world record in the 4x100m.

    Bolt was one of three candidates still standing after the 10-man shortlist named last month was whittled down to three.

    Aries Merritt and David Rudisha are also in contention with both men having a fine 12 months.

    American Merritt clinched gold in London in the 110m hurdles and then smashed the world record with a blistering run of 12.80 seconds in the second of two Samsung Diamond League finals in Brussels in September.

    Rudisha also achieved an Olympic gold and world record double.

    The Kenyan blitzed the field in the final of the 800m at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford to cruise to victory in a best-ever time of 1:40.91.

    Farah was cut from the expanded list despite an emotional summer of success.

    The Somali-born star first landed the 10,000m and then rode a tidal wave of support to clinch the 5000m title the following Saturday.

    The winner of the 2012 award will be announced during the IAAF’s Centenary Celebrations in Barcelona on Nov 24.

  • Team Rivers is ready, says Sports Director

    Team Rivers is ready, says Sports Director

    DAOBU Harry, Rivers Director of Sports, says the state is prepared to retain the top position at the upcoming 18th National Sports Festival to be hosted by Lagos State. The Games are scheduled to run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

    Rivers emerged the overall winners of the 17th edition of the Games that it hosted in 2011 with 135 gold, 79 silver, and 85 bronze medals. Delta placed second with 82 gold, 89 silver and 81 bronze medals while Edo finished third with 46 gold, 41 silver and 43 bronze medals.

    Harry told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that Team Rivers was aware of opposition expected from other rival states and would be well-prepared for them.

    “National Sports Festival is not a push over something. It depends on your preparations and it depends on the type of athletes you have. And, we are saying that those states are not just going to push us around and I have always said that we are going to defend our title. And the whole world will know that we have just defended our own title.

    “We want to prove that it is not because we hosted, that is why we won, but we want to win again in a neutral ground.‘’

    Harry said the state had started its third phase and final camping for the festival. He said Rivers won in 13 of the 14 events during the zonal eliminations held at Uyo, Akwa Ibom, early in the year.

    The director said a total of 1000 athletes and officials would represent team Rivers at the 18th edition of the sports festival.

  • Hamilton hopes history repeats itself

    Hamilton hopes history repeats itself

    Lewis Hamilton heads to America next week hoping to end his recent frustration and repeat his last result Stateside.

    In his debut year of 2007, Hamilton enjoyed a stunning back-to-back double triumph on the other side of the Atlantic – following up his first success in Montreal with victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was F1’s last race in America, a market it has long struggled to crack, with its next attempt now looming large as the sport heads to the Circuit of the Americas facility in Austin, Texas.

    “I feel if the car drives as well in the USA and Brazil as it did in Abu Dhabi then I will have another shot,” said Hamilton, who was leading Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when he was forced to retire with a fuel-pressure problem.

    “So I’m going to go there with the same mentality and enthusiasm in the hope we can win one. In particular, after winning the last US GP, I would love to win the first US GP on F1’s return.

    “To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever had a circuit where I’ve been able to put my name to it as the first person to win. I’ve just never had the car to do it, but perhaps I do now.

    “As for Brazil, I’ve never won there, but again, if the car drives like it did in Abu Dhabi then to win there would be absolutely phenomenal because that (Interlagos) is a track. If I won there I don’t know how I would handle it.”

    Hamilton, however, first needs to avoid the reliability issues which plagued him in Abu Dhabi. “With what happened, if I was still racing for the title it would have been even harder to take,” he said. “But it’s not as if it’s the first time it’s happened. I have had plenty of experiences like it in my life so I’m much better equipped to deal with days like that.

     

     

     

    “It is a real shame because I was happily in the lead and cruising, and the guys had done a great job – other than the car stopping – throughout the weekend. But it is twice now in the last five races that something has happened when I’ve been leading.

    “And apart from India, I have had problems in four of the last five. In Singapore we had the gearbox failure, then at Suzuka it was a rear rollbar malfunction before qualifying and in the race. In Korea it was a rear rollbar failure, then we had India which was fine and then we had the fuel pressure problem in Abu Dhabi.

     

  • CELTIC VS BARCELONA Efe Ambrose eager to make amends

    CELTIC VS BARCELONA Efe Ambrose eager to make amends

    Celtic defender Efe Ambrose is determined to atone for his own goal against Dundee United when Barcelona visit Parkhead tonight.

    The Nigerian has impressed since arriving from Israeli club Ashdod in August but he gifted United a Clydesdale Bank Premier League point on Sunday when he headed past Fraser Forster in injury-time as Celtic threw away a 2-0 lead.

    Ambrose said: “For me, after scoring the own goal, what went through my mind was that I let the team down and I let myself down too. I should have done better with the ball but I didn’t.

    “But that is football, that is part of the game, and the important thing is how you move on and how you react to situations like that. It was my first own goal of my career and now I want to pay back the Celtic fans.

    “Yes, it was very disappointing, but we have recovered and it is behind us now. It was my first own goal of my career and now I want to pay back the Celtic fans

    “We conceded two goals in two minutes, which is not good enough, and we have to take full responsibility for that and hope that these kinds of mistakes never happen again.”

    Celtic sit second behind Barcelona in their Champions League group but they could have been hosting the Catalans undefeated had they defended another injury-time cross in the Nou Camp.

    And Ambrose is determined to make sure there is no late slackness in the return fixture.

    He said: “The last game was hell for us in the Nou Camp because we fought until the last minute before Barcelona scored their winner.

    “It’s very worrying that we lost our concentration so late in these matches.

    “In the Nou Camp, it was the 94th minute and then at Tannadice it was two late goals in two minutes, so we need to sort that out.

    “We’ve talked about it with the manager and we know what we need to do – and we will do it.

    “At a time like this we need to be more focused and go to the last minute and keep our concentration until the very end. We need to put efforts in to make sure this does not happen again.”

  • VENEZUELA FRIENDLY Eagles boss backpedals, wants Euro stars

    VENEZUELA FRIENDLY Eagles boss backpedals, wants Euro stars

    SUPER EAGLES Spokesman Ben Alaiya has countered reports that the November 14 friendly clash with Venezuela will only be for the home-based Eagles.

    Stephen Keshi’s 24-man home-based team began camping in Abuja on Thursday for the match billed for Miami, USA but Alaiya said the home-based players will be joined by their foreign-based colleagues for the match.

    “Absolutely yes,” Alaiya said, when asked if foreign-based players will be involved in the match. “In the course of the week, the list of foreign-based players will be released.”

    He stated that Keshi has already submitted the list of invited overseas players to the Nigeria football Federation Technical Committee and are due to meet with the coach to discuss the list.

    “It’s a prestige friendly which will kick start the preparations of the Super Eagles ahead of the Nations Cup in South Africa. All the players that will be used will definitely be the players that the coach has in mind to be in the final list for the Nations Cup,” he added.

    He also assured that the big-name players will be in the team because it’s a FIFA-approved international friendly date.

    The Venezuelan FA had insisted that they want to see Nigeria feature their top stars for the match after reports that only Nigeria Premier League players will be featured in the match.