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Tag: 2019 African Games

  • 2019 African Games: Nigeria finishes second behind Egypt

    Team Nigeria ended its campaign on the second position as the 12th edition of the Africa Games finally came to an end in Rabat, Morocco on Saturday.

    After 15 days of action, Nigeria won 127 medals in total, which comprise 46 gold, 33 silver and 48 bronze to finish behind eventual winner Egypt for the second consecutive editions.

    Egypt reaped from their investment in sports development by topping the medals table once again with 271 medals (101 gold, 97 silver and 73 bronze).

    South Africa, which won the 2011 edition in Maputo, Mozambique, however finished in the third position with 87 medals (36 gold, 26 silver and 25 bronze).

    At the 2015 All-Africa Games held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria participated with 573 athletes in 21 sports and won 144 medals (47 gold, 55 silver and 42 bronze).

    Despite attending Rabat 2019 with lesser athletes of 308, Team Nigeria still maintained the second position after participating in 21 sports.

    As against, the 2015 edition when athletics produced the bulk of the country’s medals, it was weightlifting that delivered the highest number with 47 medals (16 gold, 13 silver and 18 bronze).

    Nigeria however maintained her strong hold of athletics with 23 medals (10 gold, seven silver and six bronze).

    Nigeria paraded just 16 wrestlers at this year’s edition and won 12 medals (seven gold, four silver and one bronze).

    Despite being an unpopular sport in Nigeria, Canoeing Team made their presence felt at the African Games, delivering four gold medals for Nigeria.

    In the Table Tennis event, Nigeria won two gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

    In badminton, Nigeria won two gold, three silver and three bronze medals, while the boxing team won a gold, silver and five bronze medals.

    In football, the Nigeria Under 20 women’s team, Falconets emerged as the champions of the female event after defeating Cameroon 3-2 on penalties in the final to win the gold medal.

    Nigeria men’s national under-20 football team Flying Eagles failed to end the country’s 46-year wait for a gold medal in the men’s football by losing 2-0 to Burkina Faso in the final.

    It was not a bad outing for the Basketball team as the female and the male teams won a gold and a bronze medal in the Basketball 3×3 event.

    Nigeria won a gold medal and two bronze medals in gymnastic while Taekwondo won gold medal.

    Two  bronze medals were won in the Tennis event, while only one bronze was won in the Karate event.

    Medals table

     

    Rank      NOC       Gold Silver Bronze Total

    1              Egypt     101         97           73           271

    2              Nigeria            46           33           48           127

    3              South Africa       36         26           25           87

    4              Algeria                 33           32           60           125

    5              Morocco              30           31           46           107

    6              Tunisia               26           36           34           96

    7              Kenya   11           10           10           31

    8              Mauritius             6              6              12           24

    9              Ethiopia                6              5              12           23

    10           Madagascar        6              4              2              12

    11           Cameroon           5              14           9              28

    12           Cote D’Ivoire      5              5              8              18

    13           Botswana            5              3              6              14

    14           Burkina Faso      4              2              2              8

    15           Ghana               2              2              9              13

    16           Angola             2              2              4              8

    17          Namibia               2              2              4              8

    18           Seychelles           2              1              1              4

    19           The Gambia        2              1              0              3

    20           Gabon                  2              0              4              6

    21           Niger                     2              0              1              3

    22           Senegal                  1              5              16           22

    23           Mozambique           1              3              1              5

    24           Zambia                       1              1              3              5

    25           São Tomé and Príncipe  1              1              1              3

    26           Eritrea                            0              3              0              3

    27           DR Congo                  0              2              9              11

    28           Uganda                   0              2              8              10

    29           Libya                  0              2              2              4

    30          Mali                     0              2              2              4

    31           Congo Republic  0              1              3              4

    32          Zimbabwe           0              1              3              4

    33           Djibouti                0              1              1              2

    34           Guinea-Bissau     0              1              0              1

    35          Lesotho                0              1              0              1

    36           Chad                   0              0              4              4

    37           Rwanda                0              0              3              3

    38           Benin                 0              0              2              2

    39          Guinea                 0              0              2              2

    40          Togo                   0              0              2              2

    41           Central African Republic                0              0              1              1

    42          Cape Verde        0              0              1              1

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • 2019 AFRICAN GAMES: Team Nigeria goes for glory in Morocco

    AFRICA’S very best athletes are heading for Morocco to participate in the continent’s biggest multi-sports fiesta, the 2019 African Games. Continental Sports Superpower, Nigeria, is going to this 12th edition of the Games with 562 athletes and officials. OLALEKAN OKUSAN writes on the country’s chances for success in Morocco, where tickets for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are also up for grab.

    Since the maiden edition of the continental sports showpiece Nigeria has featured in every edition of the African Games, amassing over 1,199 medals. Other things being equal, the Nigerian Contingent is set to improve on the country’s second-place finish at the 2015 edition held in Congo Brazzaville as the 12th edition of the African version of the Olympic Games kicks off today August 19 in Morocco.

    Aside from aiming to be overall victors at the Games, Nigerian athletes are also seeking qualifying spots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in some sports.

    Four cities are hosting 26 sports and Nigeria will compete in 22 of them, in serious sporting competition with other continental giants like Egypt and South Africa.

    Already, majority of the Nigerian athletes has arrived Morocco while some of the foreign-based are expected to join their compatriots in the Maghreb nation. In 2015, Nigeria competed in 21 sports with 573 athletes, winning 47 gold, 55 silver and 42 bronze medals. This year, Nigeria will be represented by 153 male and 178 female athletes, as well as 58 coaches. The contingent is supported by 27 medical personnel, 20 team secretaries, four secretarial members of staff and two officials of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).

    The country will jostle for honours in athletics, badminton, boxing, canoe-kayat, chess, cycling, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling, basketball, beach volleyball, volleyball, football and handball.

    Athletics

    Being one of the sports that had contributed immensely to Nigeria’s fortune at the Games, all eyes will be on athletics again, with Blessing Okagbare leading some fleet-footed Nigerian stars, which include one of the fastest man in the world this year, Divine Oduduru and Commonwealth Games champion, Ese Brume, against the rest of the continent. Hurdles specialist, Tobi Amusan will also be aiming to dazzle in Morocco. Aside the sprint events, expectations are sky-high for Team Nigeria in the relay events.

    Wrestling

    Odunayo Adekuoroye is a global name in wrestling and as African champion she will be leading the star-studded team, which includes nine-time African champion – Blessing Oborududu as well as Aminat Adeniyi.

    President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali is a man of few words, hence he categorically expressed optimism on the Nigerian team dominating Africa in Morocco. As the best team in the continent, Nigeria will have to contend with the North Africans, Tunisia, and Algeria, especially, who are also top contenders in the event.

    Table Tennis

    Reigning Nigeria Open Champion, Aruna Quadri, hopes to claim his maiden singles title in Morocco, being the only gong missing from the surfeit of laurels already won by the Nigerian in ping-pong.

    Doubtless, Aruna Quadri will aim to avenge the semifinal loss against his archrival, Egypt’s Omar Assar, at the last Games, even as the Egyptian also hopes to retain his men’s singles title in Morocco.

    The Nigerian table tennis team is fortified with experience and youth – led by the eight-time Olympian, Segun Toriola, who is gunning for another appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

    Olufunke Oshonaike is the leading lady for the Nigerian women’s team. Oshonaike will lead her compatriots against their biggest threat – a youthful Egyptian side –  with the team event serving as the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games. The winner of the men and women team events will secure their places at Tokyo 2020.

    Seven titles are at stake in table tennis and Nigeria hopes to halt the Egyptian dominance in the sport over the last two editions of the Games.

    Taekwondo

    The Nigerian team is made up of experienced athletes, including African and Commonwealth Champions.

    Preparatory to the Games, the team had undergone a six-week training, according to Technical Director, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Chika Chukwumerije. This should serve to put the Nigerian contingent in vantage position to win medals.

    Uzoamaka Otunadinma, Segun Onofe and Shola Olowookere are some of the experienced athletes in the team. With the youthfulness of Ifeoluwa Ajayi, Peter Itiku and others, Nigeria should coast home with many medals in taekwondo.

    Badminton

    African Champion Dorcas Adesokan will be the cynosure of all eyes in Morocco as she leads the Nigerian contingent against top-playing nations like South Africa and Mauritius.

    There is no doubt that the efforts made so far by the Francis Orbih-led Nigeria Badminton Federation have started bearing fruits and the Nigerians are expected to show their class against the rest of the continent in Morocco.

    Football

    Although the country is a soccer giant, Nigeria has not really dominated football at the African Games.

    However, there is hope that the current U-20 teams in the men and women categories will shine when it matters most in Morocco.

    Already, President Muhammadu Buhari has motivated the team by releasing fund to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports led by its Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola.

    The President has also charged the contingent to steer clear of performance-enhancing drugs and bring only clean medals back to the country. President Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, during the hand-over of the athletes to the NOC by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, stressed that Nigeria would be proud of them even when they fail to win any medal than win medals that would be stripped off later because of drug use.

    President Buhari promised to care adequately for the contingent, even as he charged the athletes to top the medals table. The President said: “Let me assure you that the Federal Government is fully committed to our delegation’s successful participation in the African Games and will ensure that the welfare of the team is adequately taken care of.

    “I want to charge all athletes and team officials going to the Games to be worthy ambassadors of our great country, both on the field of play and outside the sports arena. I therefore urge you to keep the integrity of our nation intact by competing clean and fair devoid of any form of doping at the African games.”

    Adesola expressed confidence in the athletes to represent the country well at the Games, stressing that they had gone through intense training programmes to get to this level.

    President, NOC, Engr. Habu Gumel, noted that this is the first time the African Games would be used as qualifiers for the Olympics, stressing that it is an opportunity for the athletes to give their best not only to win medals but also qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

    Without doubt, Nigerians are watching the 2019 African Games with excitement and baited breath to see their country rule the roost again in sports by topping the medals table in Morocco.

  • Poor Appreciation: Oduduru hints of showdown Ahead Rabat 2019

    Current Fastest Man in Nigeria Divine Oduduru Wednesday condemned poor treatment of athletes in the country especially non footballers hinting of a possible showdown with government ahead of 2019 African Games in Rabat Morocco.

    Oduduru who only recently ran 100m in 9.94s at the Michael Johnson Invitational to emerge Nigeria and Africa’s fastest man opined that only footballers get reasonable recognition for representing the country while other athletes are treated more like second class citizen.

    Treating athletes who win laurel for Nigerian equally he said will not only  encourage more to be interested in representing the country  but will reduce of the feeling of disappointment among athletes in other disciplines other than football.

    “Only footballers are appreciated in the country and that is very bad.  We are all athletes and all should be treated equally. In other sports if they manage to give you $5,000 they expect you to be very excited, we have passed that stage.  Athletes need funds to train well and ought to be appreciated.  Those who win medals should be well appreciated and not given peanuts as if they are being done a favour,”he said in a chat with TVC.

    Oduduru’s outburst is coming at time when many are calling for more support for other sports even as some of the athletes have described themselves as “orphans fighting on their own to make the best of their profession and passion without expecting any appreciation from a country where all the budgets in sports goes to football”

    This year’s African Games will take place from August 16-30 in Rabat Morocco with the Nation banking on the likes Oduduru, Blessing Okagbare among others to rise to the occasion. Nigeria finished second at the last Games in Congo with 144 Medals, comprising 47 Gold, 55 Silver and 42 Bronze. 

    Nigeria will be competing in 23 sports in Rabat viz athletics, football, table tennis, tennis, wrestling, weightlifting, badminton, judo, beach volleyball, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, gymnastics, golf, handball. Others are karate, rowing, shooting, swimming, basketball, handball and taekwondo.

  • Taekwondo champion wants to conquer Africa

    Ifeoluwa Ajayi, 21, is looking forward to conquering the continent at the 2019 African Games holding in Rabat, Morocco, after establishing himself as a national taekwondo champion.

    Ajayi who is a member of the Lagos-based Q-Madi club, is the current national champion in the Bantamweight category, having clinched the gold medal in style at the 2018 National Sports Festival and the athlete is hoping to etch his name in the annals of Nigeria’s taekwondo history.

    “For me, my greatest achievement was winning the trophy as the most valuable male player at the 2018 Korean Ambassador’s Cup and at the 2019 Nigeria Taekwondo international Open. For the future, I hope to become an African, world and Olympic champion, so I can also become a mentor to youths,” Ajayi.

    The athlete admitted that it was not easy embracing the sport particularly with the posture of his parents who showed their reservation for their lad taking to the combat sport.

    “A friend introduced me to sports while I was in secondary school. Shortly after, I discovered and joined Taekwondo in my senior secondary school, and I have been competing since 2014.

    “At first, my parents did not allow me to practice Taekwondo because they were of the opinion that it is a dangerous sport and that it would distract me from my studies. Thankfully, my coach – Barrister Ahmed Kazeem, came to my house to enlighten them more on the sport,” he added.

    Ajayi is also yearning for participation in more tournaments to acquire the needed exposure in the sport. “The best part of Taekwondo is the exposure where we get to go to so many places, meet so many people and attend some many events. The part I do not like about taekwondo is shedding weight. For upcoming athletes, I will just advise them not to look down on anyone or anything and, most importantly, to work extra hard,” he added.

  • 2019 African Games: Nigeria draws Morocco, South Africa, Burkina Faso in football

    Nigeria has been handed a Herculean task in the football event of the 2019 African Games as the West African nation will face host – Morocco, South Africa and Burkina Faso in Group A of the men’s division.

    Like their male counterpart, Super Falcons will slug it out in Group B against Cameroun, South Africa and Zambia.

    In the draw released by the organizers of the multi-sports fiesta, the football event will begin on August 16 at the Stade Moulay Hassan in Rabat with Morocco slugging it out with South Africa while Nigeria will confront Burkina Faso on same day.

    Group B of the men’s division has Senegal, Burundi, Ghana and Mali while the Group A of the women has Morocco, Algeria, Mali and Equatorial Guinea.

    Super Falcons first group match will be against South Africa on August 18 with the two top teams in each group advancing to the semifinal stage.

    The final of the women holds on August 29 while the men’s final will be on August 30 at the Stade Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

    54 African countries will battle in 24 sports at the sports fiesta with Nigeria competing for honours in 23 sports made up of table tennis, tennis, taekwondo, athletics, football, chess, badminton, wrestling, weightlifting, and a host of others.