The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bolt

  • Two businessmen ‘bolt with bank’s N1.8m’

    Two business associates, Samson Agboola and Adebayo Ajiboye, who allegedly fled after obtaining a N1.8 million loan from a bank, were yesterday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Agboola, 43, and Ajiboye, 43, were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, stealing and issuance of a dud cheque before Magistrate T. A. Idowu.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Friday Mameh said the defendants committed the offences at noon on January 22 at Addosser Microfinance Bank Plc at 32, Lewis Street, Lagos.

    The court heard that the duo obtained N1.8 million from the bank, under the guise of improving their business.

    They signed an agreement to repay the loan in monthly instalments but failed to do so.

    Mameh said: “The defendants ran away to an unknown destination. When they were caught by the police, they issued an FCMB cheque marked 26659121 for N2.3 million as repayment for the loan.

    “The cheque was dishonoured when presented due to insufficient funds in the defendants’ account.”

    According to Mameh, the offences contravene sections 287, 314, 321(b) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Agboola and Ajiboye pleaded not guilty.

    Their counsel, Mrs Ngozi Ibe, applied for their bail “on liberal terms”.

    Magistrate Idowu upheld her application and granted each defendant N250,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on August 7.

     

  • ‘Handshake with Bolt humbled me’

    ‘Handshake with Bolt humbled me’

    Nigerian Sprinter, Divine Oduduru has stated that he was indeed overwhelmed to have shaken hands with the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt.

    The Delta State born athlete had run a time of 20.34s closely behind the Jamaican’s 20 .28s in the 200m heats at the ongoing 2016 Rio Olympics.

    He said: “It was nice to shake hands with the big man Usain Bolt after the race. I am humbled.”

    Oduduru who finished 2nd in Heat 9 had initially been dismissed as a minor when he boasted that he was not intimidated by Bolt’s brilliant performances.

    However, it would indeed be an upset for Bolt if Nigeria’s Oduduru  is able to get near his 19.19s  world record set in 2009. Meanwhile,  Oduduru’s time of 20.34 is a new personal best for the Nigerian athlete.

  • Bolt set for Rio 2016 Olympics

    Bolt set for Rio 2016 Olympics

    Usain Bolt will bid to etch his name further into the history books by defending his Olympic titles in Rio next year.

    Bolt has said he is looking forward to seeing some of sport’s rising stars compete at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio next year.

    The Jamaican sprint king, who will earn a historic “triple triple” if he defends his 100 metres, 200m and 4×100m relay titles in Rio, will celebrate his 30th birthday on the day of the Closing Ceremony, with the Games set to be his last before he retires.

    “I watch a lot of [English] Premier League and NBA (National Basketball Association) games and it will be good to see some of these star players or future star players compete at the Olympics,” he said in an interview with Rio2016.com.

    “For me, outside of athletics, it is always basketball and football.

    “I will also watch the swimming and support the Jamaicans in those events.”

    A plethora of sport’s top names will descend on the Brazilian city for the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year, and multiple world-record holder Bolt singled out home footballer Neymar and American tennis star Serena Williams as two people he is most looking forward to seeing in action.

    Neymar, who joined Barcelona from Brazilian side Santos in June 2013 for a fee of £48.6 million ($75 million/€57 million), will be looking to guide his country to their maiden Olympic football gold.

    He told the Rio 2016 website last month that Bolt was the athlete he could not wait to see compete in Brazil, and the Jamaican has seemingly now returned the favour.

    “Neymar is a great player and I saw how popular he is in Brazil during the World Cup last year,” Bolt said.

  • Bolt set for another treble

    Bolt set for another treble

    Usain Bolt only made a brief appearance on Thursday at a Jamaican training session ahead of the world championships, but is ready to deliver another title treble, according to his agent.

    Bolt, 26, joked around with some team-mates, did a few runs, and underwent a massage at the Luzhniki sports complex training area, before disappearing into the team bus, ahead of anyone else.

    “He only wants to focus on the world championships here. And he is only responsible for his own performance. But he is in a very good shape. That showed at his last race in London,” agent Ricky Simms said.

    Bolt won 100m, 200m and 4x100m trebles at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, as well as at the 2009 world championships. He took the 200m and 4x100m at the 2011 worlds, but was famously disqualified from the 100m final over a false start.

    The Jamaican superstar will start his quest for another hat-trick Saturday with the 100m heats. The final is Sunday, the 200m final on Aug. 17 and the 4x100m final concludes the championships on Aug. 18.

    Bolt is the top 100m favourite in the absence of holder Yohan Blake (injured), former world record holder Asafa Powell and American season-leader Tyson Gay (both failed doping tests).

    Bolt’s 100m season-best is 9.85 seconds from the recent London race, and he has the fastest time of the year over 200m at 19.73 seconds. His world records over the sprint distances stand at 9.58 and 19.19 seconds.

    “We have always been mindful of the fact that this is a FIFA weekend and the onus lay with the Bafana Bafana head coach on whether to release the players or not’’.

    Pirates moved to the top of CAF Champions’ League Group A with a comfortable 3-0 win over Al Ahly last weekend.