Tag: African Youth Games

Following their outstanding display at the just concluded Africa Youth Games in Angola the duo of  Ayomide Mayowa (48kg female) and Abijuwon Farouq (50kg Male)  have qualified for next year’s Youth Olympic Games scheduled to hold  in Dakar, Senegal.

Nigerian boxers were  indeed the cynosure of all eyes  in  Luanda owing to their superlative performances. Coached by the experience Anthony Konyegwachie, the youngsters  secured two gold and one bronze medal.

The country’s  only female entry in the boxing event,  Ayomide Mayowa displayed her potentialities  as she won the country’s first Gold medal following  her triumph over Bensallah Bouthenia of Algeria via a split decision in their 48kg final bout.

In the men’s 50Kg Category, Abijuwon Olalekan Farouq did not lose sweat to win team Nigeria’s second gold as he gained a walk over Bofenda Mabela of the Democratic Republic of Congo who turned out weighed before the brawl.

Joshua Solomon’s quest for the top honours was cut short in the semi-finals following his defeat to Wisdom Pedro of Angola by a split decision in the 70kg. The promising pugilists earned a bronze to complete Nigeria’s third medal at the boxing event.

With their commanding displays, only Mayowa and Farouq qualified for the Youth Olympic Games slated for Senegal between October 31 and November 13, 2026.

“I am happy that the boxers were able to justify the trust and believe in the team by the NBF board, the National Sports Commission leadership, as well as that of the entire Nigerians, the performance of these young pugilists on means one thing, that boxing in Nigeria has taken an upward trajectory,” an elated Secretary General of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) Vivian Azimene, who led the team to Angola, said.

The Vice President  of the NBF Hon. Omonlei Imadu who emergence has brought so much  vim and vigour to the federation, said the new NBF board is committed to changing the narrative of the squared ropes sports in the country.

Read Also: Elizade JAC to make new vehicles affordable to Nigerians

He said: “I am excited to say that it’s a new dawn for Boxing in Nigeria, the performance of our boxers in Angola is only an elementary to what we can achieve as a board, we already have a well-structured program for an holistic development of the sports going forward and this will take effect from the month of January 2026.”

The Yucateco boss who initiated the first ever amateur boxing league in Africa, further praised the National Sports Commission (NSC) for their support and encouragement.

” It’s important that I also mentioned that the leadership on the NSC has been greatly supportive in all we have achieved in this very short period, with such collaboration and support from the apex sport’s governing body in the country, things can only get better in our sports, ” Imadu said.

The Nigeria Boxing contingent to the Africa Youth Games that returned to Abuja on Saturday, The boxers will be hosted to a grand reception in Lagos today by the Nigeria Boxing Federation.

Team Nigeria produced a stunning show of strength, skill and composure yesterday as three teenage weightlifters powered the country to an impressive haul of eight gold medals and one silver on Day One of the weightlifting event at the ongoing African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.

Competing at the Dream Space Hall, Favour Cornelius (44kg), Esther Chidalu Ezenwa (48kg) and Chinaza Cecilia Ezenwa (53kg) dominated their respective categories, announcing Nigeria’s intent to rule the platform and placing the nation firmly among the leading medal contenders at the Games.

Fourteen-year-old Favour Cornelius set the competition alight in the women’s 44kg category, delivering a flawless performance to sweep all three gold medals on offer.

Cornelius opened Nigeria’s campaign in emphatic fashion, lifting 50kg in the snatch to claim her first gold of the day. She followed it up with a composed and powerful 64kg in the clean and jerk, once again topping the field. Her combined effort of 114kg total sealed a memorable three-gold-medal sweep, outclassing rivals from Angola and Ghana.

Momentum continued in the women’s 48kg category, where Esther Chidalu Ezenwa delivered another commanding display to also secure three gold medals despite stiff competition from her counterparts from Madagascar and Kenya.

In the women’s 53kg category, Chinaza Cecilia Ezenwa capped Nigeria’s remarkable day with two gold medals and one silver, taking the country’s tally to eight gold and one silver overall.

An elated President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr Ibrahim Abdul Aladi, praised the athletes for living up to expectations and justifying the confidence placed in them.

 “I am extremely proud of these young lifters. Winning eight gold medals and one silver on the first day is a clear statement of our preparation and potential,” Dr Aladi said.

Read Also: NFF, Osimhen, Iwobi paid emotional tributes to Troost-Ekong

“This performance shows that Nigeria’s future in weightlifting is very bright. The athletes were focused, disciplined and fearless on the platform, and they truly made the nation proud.”

Dr Aladi also reiterated his appreciation to the National Sports Commission for providing the athletes with exposure at the continental level, stressing that such opportunities are crucial for long-term development.

Equally delighted, NWF Technical Director, Sefiya Onubaye, who is serving as one of the technical officials at the competition, described the day’s performance as exceptional.

 “What we saw today was the result of hard work, proper coaching and mental toughness,” Onubaye said.

“The girls executed their lifts beautifully and competed with confidence. This is a big motivation for the rest of the team, and it shows that Nigeria is on the right path in youth weightlifting.”

Team Nigeria’s weightlifting campaign could get even better this morning, when Florence Olarinoye steps onto the platform in the women’s 58kg category. With the momentum already firmly in Nigeria’s favour, officials and supporters are optimistic that the country could achieve a clean sweep of gold medals in the women’s events.

The popularity of table tennis among young people across Africa continues to rise, as this year’s African Youth Games (AYG) in Angola records a historic turnout.

More than 30 countries have confirmed participation in the continental youth sports fiesta, marking the largest entry in the event’s history.

From the 14 nations that featured in the maiden edition in Morocco in 2010, to 24 in Botswana in 2014, and 25 in Algeria in 2018, the 2025 edition in Angola has surpassed expectations with several countries making their debut.

Read Also: Top 10 highest-paid African footballers in 2025

President of ITTF Africa, Wahid Oshodi, hailed the development as a milestone for the sport.

“The turnout of teams for the 2025 AYG in Angola reflects the growth of table tennis among young people in Africa. This number even surpasses the list of competing nations at the last African Games in Ghana. With more support and encouragement for Member Associations, we can expect even greater participation at the next African Games in Egypt,” he said.

Among the nations listed for the 2025 AYG are: Algeria, Burundi, Benin Republic, Botswana, Chad, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and host nation Angola.

The African Youth Games is a major multi-sport competition for athletes aged 14–17. The 2025 edition will take place from December 10 to 20 in Luanda and other Angolan cities, featuring around 33 sports across six host cities.

The Games also help in promoting sport, talent development, and cultural exchange across Africa. This year’s edition is historic, as Angola becomes the first Portuguese-speaking country to host the AYG. The event coincides with the nation’s 50th independence anniversary, making it a landmark celebration for Angola and the continent.