The Nation Newspaper

Tag: athletes

  • Rite Foods supports athletes with N30m

    AS part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), Rite Foods Limited, makers of Bigi soft drinks, Fearless Energy drinks, Bigi and Rite Sausages, supported the just-concluded African Athletics Championship tagged: “Champions of the Niger”.

    Its Managing Director, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, said his company will always support Nigeria and its people.

    He said: “We believe that ordinary people are capable of delivering extra-ordinary things; so, we always get involved with such through sponsorships, corporate social responsibilities in one form or the other.”

    According to him, Rite Foods supports  championship with over N30million worth of products for athletes and spectators to support sports in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

    “In Rite Foods, we believe sports can unite nations, bringing out the best in youths and adults alike, hence creating an atmosphere of peace in the world at large.

    “Rite Foods is also represented fully in manpower at the championship to activate and ensure that everyone experiences the spirit of sportsmanship through our ISO certified products,” he said.

    A member of the Planning  Committee, Asaba 2018, Mr. Bukola Olopade, said the championship enjoyed partnership with Rite Foods as its official beverage  sponsor. He gave kudos to the company, saying: “Rite Foods must be showered accolades for sponsoring this event and the reason is not farfetched; lots of brands do not understand what it takes to be part of an event of this nature and magnitude.

    ”When we approached Rite Foods for partnership, it was seamless, very straight forward and what has amazed me about how Rite Foods has operated in the course of this sponsorship is the way the company has activated and showed up immensely to be fully involved.”

  • Athletes need fallback plans – Oboh

    Former British light heavyweight, World Boxing Association (WBA) Inter-Continental light heavyweight title and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion, Peter Oboh has advised athletes to have backup plans that would sustain them once they retire from active sports.

    Speaking at the launching of a skill acquisition project by the Mabel Oboh Centre for Save Our Stars (MOCSOS), the retired pugilist stated that making money while in active sports was easier than investing the money in a beneficial way for the athlete after retirement.

    He regretted it was heart-wrenching to see athletes who made enormous money while active, living in penury few years after quitting. “I was in the sport for so long to know that most athletes do not have a plan to fall back on. Once they retire, their lives take a dip and most boxers who earned fantastically are today poor.”

    He also commended the late Brai Ayonote for his passion for boxing development in the country, while noting that the camps he attended under later boxing administrators, helped shape his professional career.

    “I was a beneficiary of some of the best training under late Brai Ayonote. At a point, we were in camp for nine months where I acquired many of the skills that helped shape my professional career. However, it is sad that we could not win a medal in boxing. I hope the government will come up with policies that will help reverse the trend,” Oboh added.

    Oboh stated that programmes put up by MOCSOS would go a long way in helping athletes/entertainers get support whenever they are in need.

    MOCSOS founder and Chief executive officer, Mabel Oboh said that the skill acquisition programme would help entertainers and athletes get training in other fields that would be useful to them in future.

    “Our desire is to see that the welfare of our former stars is paramount. We don’t want to see anyone dying from an illness that is preventable and curable. We also do not want the show to stop for our stars once they quit the scene that is why we are calling on them to put in for this programme and I am sure they will not regret it,” Mabel added.

  • 50,000 athletes to participate in 2017 Lagos city marathon – Ambode

    50,000 athletes to participate in 2017 Lagos city marathon – Ambode

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday said no fewer than 50,000 athletes from across the world are expected to participate in the second edition of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon billed to hold on February 11, 2017. 

    Governor Ambode, who stated this at Lagos House in Ikeja while addressing a world press conference on the marathon, said necessary logistics have been put in place to make the event hugely successful, and as well promote the tourism potentials of the State.

    The Governor said about 33, 753 runners including 65 elite marathoners from different parts of the world and over 100 local elite runners participated in the 2016 edition held on February 6 this year, while the marathon was adjudged as one of the best in the world.

    He said the government was working to ensure that the 2017 edition of the Lagos City Marathon billed to hold on Saturday, February 11, 2017 would see a major improvement compared to the maiden edition.

    Governor Ambode said that as a result of the success of the maiden edition, several individuals and corporate organisations have contacted the organisers of the Marathon to partner towards ensuring a successful tourney, adding that it would go a long way to engage and empower thousands of Lagosians in various sectors.

    The Governor said that the 2017 edition, would also feature the top ten men and women marathoners in the world, who would also be joined by many gold label, silver label and bronze label marathoners from different parts of the world.

    He said the appearance fees for gold label runners is $50,000, silver label $20,000 and bronze label $10,000, adding that invited local and foreign elite runners would be paid 50 per cent of their appearance fee now and balance up when they arrive Lagos for the tourney.

    Winner of the 2017 Lagos City Marathon, according to the Governor would also go home with a cash prize of $50,000, while second and third place winners will smile home with $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

    “The Lagos City Marathon is presently ranked 68th in the world, but our desire is to make it the top ten in the world and that is what we are working on with the next episode of the event.

    “Unlike the one held on February 6 this year, where we had over 30,000 athletes who participated, we are targeting a minimum of 50,000 runners who will take the city of Lagos by storm and put the city on the world map for coming up with such a huge event.

    “We look forward to something exciting happening in Lagos. We are going to use sports as a vehicle to help develop our youths and when you talk about youth development you have to talk about recreational sports, about how you mentally activate younger ones and we just think that this marathon is one of those vehicles that we should use to galvanise sports in younger ones and even Lagosians at large,” Governor Ambode said.

    The Governor also expressed optimism that the success of the first edition and efforts to make next year’s edition bigger, the Lagos City Marathon would soon be labeled by the IAAF.

    “We may get the CAA label before February 11, 2017; this will be another feat. We have put the necessary machinery in place to have a more elaborate start and a grand finish for this edition. There will also be entertainment at the finish for runners and spectators,” he said.

    The Governor also added that for the 2017 edition, plans have been put in place to accommodate volunteers who would work hand in hand to make the event a success, adding that every volunteer would get a certificate signed by him and their names will be in Lagos State data base for volunteers.

    He said that the State Government was working with other partners to address the challenges and hiccups recorded in the first edition of the Marathon, assuring that he would personally supervise the logistics required for the event.

    “Route education plan will be released early so that Lagosians can plan their movement on race day. There will also be live transmission for the local and global audience. There will be clearer and bolder kilometer marking along the route. Our target is to also make Lagosians proud of this event and make them look forward to it every year,” the Governor said.

    On his part, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, Managing Director of Access Bank, the major partners of the Lagos City Marathon, expressed optimism that the 2017 edition of the race would be bigger and better.

    He said Access Bank was glad to partner with Lagos State, noting that the success of the first edition did not only showcase Lagos to be an avenue for sports development, but also for the growth of tourism and youth development.

  • Athletes thrilled over CCSF Taewkondo Training in North West

    Athletes thrilled over CCSF Taewkondo Training in North West

    They were exposed to the latest equipment  coupled with the new rules guiding the sport, the 85 athletes that featured in the three-day taekwondo training organised by Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) are eagerly yearning for more of such exercise in the North West region.

    The 85 athletes came from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states to be part of the CCSF “Inspire the Zones [North West]” programme held at the Kebbi State Taekwondo Dojang, in Birnin Kebbi from March 24 to 26.

    According to the host and sponsor of the event who is also  the Kebbi State Taekwondo Chairman and a Board Member of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Abdullahi Saidu, the objective was to inspire and empower athletes and coaches in the region through a practical education in specific training and coaching techniques, tactics and methodologies.

    The intensive programme involved referee training for athletes, physical training, taekwondo forms basics, competitive training and technical-tactical training. There was also a taekwondo-specific coaching seminar for coaches from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

    It was attended by the Kebbi State Permanent Secretary, Kebbi State Director of Sports, four board members of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, 76 athletes and nine coaches from Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamafara and Niger states.

    Resource persons for the programme included three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije; International Certified coach and two-time National Champion, Sani Lawal; and Commonwealth Champion, Jamilu Mohammed.

    For Kebbi-State athlete, 21-year-old Micah Peters, the programme was very educative. “We really enjoyed the programme because we were exposed to the competition rules and regulations, what we are supposed to do or not do in the ring. We hope that this kind of programme can be done regularly because we benefited so much from it”

    Yakubu Danbauchi, one of the participants in the coaching programme said: “The programme was excellent. We have been organising workshops but this is the best so far. We were exposed to an equipment and training programme we did not know existed”

    The Permanent-Secretary of Kebbi State government, Garba Hussaini Mungadi, was thrilled with the exercise, and pledged that Taekwondo will be one of the important sports to be supported by the state government. “The attendance was very impressive and I was particularly happy about this. The programme was well celebrated and accepted by all, and we will support the sport.”

    For the Kebbi State Director of Sports, Usman Ladan, the programme would help develop champions.

    “It was a really good programme that was interesting and commendable. The caliber of resources person was high and every participant is going home happy. Hopefully, this will be a turning point for Taekwondo, not only in Kebbi State, but in the region.”

    For African Champion, Jamilu Mohammed who was a resource person for the event, it was an opportunity to give back to the taekwondo sporting community. “I was very happy to come here and share my wealth of knowledge and experience with the upcoming players. The kind of technical training they received will go a long way in producing quality national players a couple of years from now”

    For NTF Board Member representing North East, “The programme had a unique impact on my zone and I am sure that the athletes in this zone similarly went home with a lot of knowledge about taekwondo”

    Chairman of Kebbi State Taekwondo and Programme host, Abdullahi Saidu was equally pleased with the programme. The three days of rigorous training for fitness, referee training and competitive training was a success. As most of the participants are newbies, the knowledge went a long way in enhancing capacity building for coaches and athletes on the modern-day methodology and techniques. Overall, it was a success.”

  • Ikpeba inspires athletes at Fluorescent sports meet

    Ikpeba inspires athletes at Fluorescent sports meet

    Amid pomp and pageantry, students and staff of Lagos-based Fluorescent Group of Schools, Ipaja, marked their 7th biennial inter-house sports competition with former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba acting as inspiration to the participants.

    From the march past to the races, the students displayed exceptional skills to the admiration of the parents and guardians at the one-day sports fiesta.

    The colourful march past by the four houses – purple, blue, yellow and green brought to the fore the ingenuity of the students, who surprised their parents with beautiful performances.

    Speaking at the one-day sports fiesta, the former Super Eagles star, praised the schools for the colourful display, while urging others to take a cue from such event.

    “I am really impressed with what I am seeing here today because it shows the quality of organisation the school has. The athletes really exhibited exceptional skills particularly from the beautiful display during the march past. In our days, we never had the glamour that I am seeing today and I must commend the management of Fluorescent for the quality they have shown with this inter-house sports,” he said.

  • Okpekpe road race plans prizes for North Ibie athletes

    Okpekpe road race plans prizes for North Ibie athletes

    • Organiser to introduce training camp at Okpekpe 

    The organiser of the 4th Okpekpe 10 kilometre road race, Pamodzi Sports Marketing (PSM) has  planned to reward North Ibie athletes with various prizes, Sportinglife learnt at the weekend.

    According to an insider, who spoke to Sportinglife’s Abuja correspondent in confidence, said first prize of N150,000 ,second prize of N100,000 and third prize N50,000  will be available for  winners in the male and female categories.

    The North Ibie comprises of Okpekpe Clan and the Three Ibie Clan : Imiegba, Imiakebu and Itsukwi  of Etasko East Local Government Area, Edo State.

    These novel prizes, said the source, are to pave way for these communities that are of  the same historical background besides their common  Ibie  language, to also benefit from the goldmine.

    “We are coming up with these new prizes for our people to also benefit from the  road race,” said the highly placed source.

    Pamodzi Sports Marketing (PSM) is also planning to introduce a camp in Okpekpe where the national athletes could camp for training.

    This, according to the source, is also aimed at spurring Okpekpe Youths that are interested in the sport to also practice.

    In this year’s race, the competition will begin with the take off of the international athletes, the national athletes while the North Ibie category follows.

    Sportinglife gathered that besides the fact that the organiser has always beefed security, PSM will this year tag participants in the last category in order to checkmate malpractice.

    Sportinglife’s source said: “Normally, once the race takes off no vehicle or bike moves again. We will have to accredit them at the start point with a different label before they take off. ”

    Sportinglife also gathered that the SuperSports which usually holds on the eve of the road race will this year hold at Otsele Primary School, Okpekpe.

  • NSC seeking official carrier for athletes to All Africa Games

    NSC seeking official carrier for athletes to All Africa Games

    The National Sports Commission has solicited support from well meaning Nigerians and cooperate organisations as the country athletes prepare to take part in the 11th African Games; scheduled for Congo Brazzaville.

    The sport commission led by its Director General, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut yesterday held a meeting with the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Max Air, Dahiru Bara’u Mangal in Abuja and asked the airline to be the official carrier for the Nigeria contingent to the Games.

    According to Yakmut partnership with the commission will be a mutual benefit. He explained;“I have been observing with keen interest the support Max Air have been giving to develop sports such as football and polo in Katsina State, and I am sure you be interested to partner and sponsor the Federal  Government outing in forthcoming All Africa Games in the Congo by using your airline to airlift our athletes to the games”.

    Mallam Yakmut added that given present economic reality, there is absolute need to seek for partner and support from well-meaning Nigerians to contribute their quota in sponsoring contingents to this year’s All Africa Games.

    According to the Director General,  “the thrust of this meeting is to request you to partner with the National Sports Commission in the area of being the official carrier”.

    He added that the airlines stands to benefit tremendously from this proposal as it would be a win-win situation for both parties, saying the use of logo of the airline and advertorial of the companies activities will receive adequate attention from the commission.

    The Secretary of the company; Sani Ibrahim,  who responded on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer,  Dahiru Mangal assured that the organisation will partner with the Commission to perform the task.

    His words “We are happy to be part of the arrangements and appreciate the privilege of being chosen as the official airline, we will do our best to ensure the airlift of Nigerian athletes to Congo is successful”.

  • Athletes hail Wike over wages settlement

    Athletes hail Wike over wages settlement

    Athletes in the employment of Rivers state government have hailed governor Nyesom Wike for promising to pay them their allowances and salaries dating back to the middle of 2014.

    Governor Wike had last week promised to pay all outsatnding salaries owed both the state-owned football clubs (Dolphins, Sharks and Rivers Angel) and the athletes who brought unprecedented glory and honour to Rivers state especially at the National Sports Festival.

    “We are really delighted that we have a new governor that loves sports and has agreed to pay us our outstanding allowances and salaries,” wrote the athletes in a press release.

    ‘We are not only happy he (Wike) has promised to pay us the backlog of salaries and allowances, we are specially delighted that the governor has shown himself as one who will love sports and this has given us the extra motivation to continue to put in our best for our dear state,” further read the statement jointly signed by Abayomi Bamgbopa and Taiwo Suleiman, a T11 (totally blind) sprinter who is the best in the African continent.

    The athletes have promised governor Wike to reciprocate his gesture by emerging the overall winner of the 19th National Sports Festival whenever and wherever it is held this year.

    “The least we can do to show our appreciation is to return the state to the number one position it held in 2011 when it hosted the 17th edition of the Festival. We are not ready to play the second fiddle we played at the 18th edition tagged Eko 2012 again. Governor Wike deserves to start his term as our executive governor on a winning note,” the statement added.

    Rivers state won its first ever National Sports Festival overall title by amasing over a 100 gold and placed second behind Delta state a year later in Lagos at the Eko 2012 edition.

  • COUNTDOWN TO KADUNA GOLDEN LEAGUE: Ogba urges athletes to strive to make Beijing team

    The President of  The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Dr. Solomon Ogba over the weekend urged home-based athletes to work very hard to make the lean team that will represent Nigeria  at the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

    Dr. Ogba said: “The Beijing World Championships will not be a jamboree, we are going with a very lean team. Any athlete who does not have a chance of making the finals will not be in our team. I am impressed with the performances of some of our athletes in the Anambra Golden League I hope they will up their game in Kaduna and run better’’.

    Ogba also revealed that only coaches that are producing athletes will make the national team,

    “In the past we took many coaches who were not producing athletes to games and championships, but the criteria for coaches’ selection has changed; only those producing athletes and whose athletes made the team will be considered for a place in the national team.’’

    Meanwhile the AFN is working round the clock to ensure that the Kaduna Golden League is a huge success.

    Olumide Bamiduro, the scribe of the federation, revealed that AFN parent body, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has granted the federation application for the use of Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, as venue of the meet which will hold Saturday, June 27, 2015.

    Bamiduro revealed that most of the athletic clubs and many state athletic associations have signified their intention to participate in the Kaduna meet.

  • Athletes’ disposition to national assignment

    Today as I reflect on the outcome of the International Friendly match organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles against their counterparts from Uganda, I can’t help but comment on how our athletes and national team players have over the years lost the ‘fighting and biting’ attitude that differentiates the Nigerian from all other peoples of the world.

    Slowly but steadily we have seen our national team players reduce their zeal for the nation and also lower their steam and hunger for the nation as can be seen in the way they carry out their duties on the field  of play.

    While from a professional point of view it can be said that the team that played against Uganda were a new one and, secondly, the team had only one training session on the morning of the match, as such the players did not have sufficient time to blend and understand themselves before the game. Nevertheless, I am of the strong opinion that the team failed to show the needed character.

    One would have expected that the Nigeria team would at least show a fighting attitude rather than the laissez-faire attitude that was displayed on the field. I appreciate the introduction of some new players into the team and I feel strongly that the future of the Super Eagles is very bright if only the players can decide to redouble their efforts and work as a team with the needed fighting spirit.

    We need to also appreciate the fact that despite the various challenges faced by the NFF they were still able to put together international friendly matches for their teams.  This is commendable and I feel that all the players at the various national teams should consider playing for their country as a great honour and privilege instead of merely seeing it as the norm.

    Another thing of interest to me is the depth of our technical crew and in looking at this, I would want to ask what coaching qualification they possess; are they well certified to perform the duties and roles they are now performing? Do they understand that coaching is beyond showmanship?

    However, it is instructive to state that the essence of friendly games is not to win but to identify the weaknesses of a team with the aim of correcting observable mistakes in a real game situation. Also, it affords the technical crew the ability to see the inherent skills and talents of their respective players, that is why during friendly matches both teams will have to agree on the number of players to be substituted.

    Coming back to Nigeria, I am convinced that the team is already in Nelspruit, South Africa for the match against the Bafana Bafana. This match must be taken very seriously as it has the capacity to either propel the team’s image and brand recognition and also that of redefining the future perception of Nigerian football.

    A renowned football administrator once confided in me that no matter how good you are as a sport administrator if the players for any reason decide not to play, the entire structure will be affected. That is why it is said that the sport administration destiny of any administrator is on the feet of the players.

    Finally, I want to encourage the various national athletes to have a rethink and possibly vow to be more committed in honouring future national assignments, while the administrators should also be seen to be doing their best in adequately preparing athletes for major competitions. The coaches are also not left out, they must be seen improving themselves on contemporary techniques of coaching.