The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Championship

  • Table Tennis championship makes its debut in Abuja

    Table Tennis championship makes its debut in Abuja

    An information technology firm, Phase3 Telecom, has unveiled a table tennis championship it promised to sustain on an annual basis in the country.

    Tagged Phase 3 Table Tennis Championship (P3TTC), its inaugural edition was held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Stanley Jegede, who declared the competition open with exhibition matches between the company’s top executives and partners, said the firm will continue to encourage sports development in the country.

    Jegede said sports can be a veritable platform to sustain workplace wellness programmes and client/partner relationship. “P3TTC is to encourage and advocate active sports in Nigeria’s corporate environment as a tool to drive innovation and high performance in the workplace. Sporting activity is one of the best activities an individual can engage in because it is competitive, good for character build-up, rewarding and fun-filled,” he said.

    Phase3 Telecom’s Company Secretary, Adebayo Azeez, won the inaugural competition after defeating the Jegede and the Director of Engineering (DoE), Ajibade Momolosho.

    Head of Corporate Administration, Mark Chiazor, said many of the workers enjoyed watching people engaged in omne sporting activities or the other, adding that the competition will promote wellness in the workplace.

    Chief Coordinator, P3TTC 2013, Stilo Ogbonda, said a well organised sporting activity will naturally attract participants. This he said will further be given fillip when the prizes on offer are fantastic. Prizes on offer include refrigerators, laptops and other consolation prizes.

  • IAAF WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 21 Nigerian athletes begin quest for medals

    IAAF WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 21 Nigerian athletes begin quest for medals

    TWENTY-ONE Nigerian athletes will hoist the country’s flag today as they begin their quest for medals at the 8th IAAF World Youth Championship holding in Ukraine.

    The Nigerians will compete in the following events: 100m, 200m, 400m, javelin, 100m, 200m. Ese Brume (6.35m) will represent the country in the long jump girls event. Nigeria’s medal hopefuls will also be partaking in the 100m and 400m medley boys and girls.

    However, this may not be the best of times for the Malian Athletics Federation, as financial constraint has forced the country to send just one female athlete and one coach to the Championship, which begins today in Donetsk, Ukraine.

    The set-back notwithstanding, the Francophone country is hoping to capture the female 100m gold medal in the championship. Usman Maliko, who heads Mali’s athletics technical crew, said at the Istanbul airport in Turkey while transiting to Donetsk on Monday that his country barely managed to raise ‘little funds’ for him to attend the championship.

    Also, like Mali, only one female athlete will fly Senegal’s flag in the 8th IAAF World Championship. Quarter-miler, Bangoura Brigitte Penda is tipped by her coach, Moussa Ndiaye, to win the gold in the 400m female event.

    Coach Ndiaye said Penda will win the 400m gold. I don’t see anyone beating her in this competition.”

    The President of the Nigeria Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba, left the shores of the country yesterday to provide support for the country’s contigent. In the same vein, the delegation led by the Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tunde Abdulkareem, left Lagos on Monday evening to join the athletes and other officials who were already on ground in Donetsk. The first batch made up of eight boys and nine girls, was led from Lagos on Saturday by former sprinter, Endurance Ojokolo and some officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

    Speaking on arrival yesterday, two coaches attached to the team, Abraham Odia and Raymond Agboro said they were confident that Team Nigeria would live up to expectations in the championship.

    Odia pointed out that the fact that Team Nigeria was able to rule Africa at the last African Youth Championship (AYAC) in Warri, Delta State, was enough for the athletes and officials to know that much is expected from them in Ukraine.

    “We are the champions of Africa at the moment at this youth level and if things work out well, we should be able to live up to expectations as true champions. But in a competition of this magnitude, one could only hope for better things to come. We have prepared the athletes well enough and I pray they don’t disappoint us,” he stated.

    Coach Odia further said that Team Nigeria should be able to capture as many as six gold medals in the championship saying: “I am banking on the male and female sprint gold, the 400m for male and female, the 100m hurdles for girls and the 110m hurdles for boys, the medley relay for girls and the shot put event.

    “Our girl, Anulike Aniefuna defeated the girl from Egypt in Warri and I see her as a potential medalist here if she is able to repeat all she had been doing in camp.”

    On his part, coach Agboro, who discovered the two fastest male sprinters representing Team Nigeria in the competition, Devine Oduduru and Charles Okezie, said: “We stand a very good chance of winning a good number of medals because our athletes have been given quality training from technical experts picked by the AFN.”

    Also in the technical team are coaches Chet Ike and Tom Nwakwe, while former hurdler, Seigha Porbeni is the coaches’ coordinator.

    SportingLife recalls that Nigeria topped the medals table when the country hosted the maiden African Youth Athletics Championship in Warri, Delta State, in March this year.

     

  • 2nd Samsung Beach Volleyball Championship ‘got best officiating’

    2nd Samsung Beach Volleyball Championship ‘got best officiating’

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Volleyball Referees Association (NVRA), Anthony Oresegun, said on Tuesday that the just-concluded Samsung Electronics Male and Female Beach Volleyball Championships got the best officiating.

    Oresegun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, while reacting to some players’ complaints of unfair officiating at the championships that the officials adhered strictly to the rules of the game.

    NAN recalls that the second edition of the championships was held from March 29 to March 31 at the Jabi Lake Dam, Abuja, with 12 out of the 20 expected teams.

    The NVRA chairman said: “there is nothing unfair about the officiating, but players will always complain when they lose. I want to tell you categorically that the rules of the game were followed strictly, but the problem now is that the players and coaches don’t have the current rule books.

    “So, when they were playing, they played as if they were playing in 2011 or 2012. New rules are in vogue and those are the rules the referees adhered strictly and religiously to. As far as I am concerned, there was no partiality in the officiating throughout the championships.’’

    The volleyball referees’ chairman added that the best of its referees were chosen and they went through some tests before they were allowed to officiate.

    “Our referees have been attending seminars almost on a monthly basis, just to be kept abreast of the new rules and as we were preparing for the championships, we got the best out of the referees we have. And as they got to the venue, they were compelled to write qualifying examinations to test their knowledge of the rules of the game, before they were allowed to officiate. So, the 2013 championships got the best officiating.’’

    He, however, advised stakeholders in the game to keep themselves abreast of the new rules, to avoid disparity and clash of interests.

    “It is the responsibility of individuals to keep themselves abreast of the rules of the game, if they are actually interested in the sport, whether as players, coaches, officials, spectators or any other stakeholder.

    “The rules of the game can be gotten freely on the Internet. You just have to go to www.fivb.org, click on refereeing and rules, you will see the rules there and download for your personal consumption and update yourself,’’ Oresegun said.

    NAN reports that the Ondo State and Team Delta won the male and female categories of the championships, respectively.

  • CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BROUGHT LIFE TO WARRI – ODIBO

    CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BROUGHT LIFE TO WARRI – ODIBO

    FORMER Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs in Delta State, Chief Moses Odibo has declared that the hosting of the African Youth Athletics Championship has broken the siege mentality in Warri and want Governor Uduaghan to sustain it.

    Speaking with sports journalists at the Warri International Stadium,venue of the events, Odibo said prior to the event, it was like Warri was under siege but the competition has removed that fear.

    According to him, there was this self imposed curfew before the event but that has disappeared within the last few days and thus, commended the Governor for hosting the Championship.

    He described the hosting of the Sports event as an assurance to outsiders that Delta and indeed Warri is safe to do any business.

    ”The nostalgia of just sitting at home in the evening has been broken and people now move in the night unmolested which has gone to confirm that Warri is safe .

    “Over 30 Countries came here for the Sports event and so far, so good, the whole thing has gone well.

    “The Sports event has changed the siege mentality and I want to commend Governor Uduaghan for hosting the event. It is a very healthy development to Warri City and the people will be happy for it,” said Odibo.

    Odibo also commended the Local Organising Committee for a job well done and that, they have proved the skeptics wrong that good thing cannot come out of Delta State.

    ”So many negative things have been said of Warri especially from the so called Comedians but the Local Organising Committee has proved them wrong. We need more of this event in Warri. This is the peaceful Warri that we grew up to meet and I am happy that things are getting better.”

    Odibo further said that the hosting of the event is impacting positively on the youths and want them to seize the opportunity presented by this event to change their orientation.

    ”I have read so many good things about this event from various countries and I can say that it has done a lot for us. The youths must seize this opportunity to change their orientation that Sports can take you to the highest level,” added an elated Odibo.

  • Winner emerges in Navy chess championship

    Winner emerges in Navy chess championship

    The Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has emerged winner of the 2013 Inter-Command Chess Championship which held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    The command scored 10 points to beat the National Headquarters and Naval Training Command that scored six points each to secure second position while Logistics Command took the third position.

    The participating commands included the hosts, the Eastern Naval Command; the defending champions, Western Naval Command; Nigerian Navy Headquarters; Naval Training Command; Logistics Command and Central Naval Command.

    Flag Officer commanding the Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Joseph Aikhomu, who stood in for the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral D. J. Ezeoba congratulated the winners and urged others to work harder next time.

    He said chess, as a sport, is gaining international popularity. He said that some of the benefits of the chess game that has been in existence for about 1, 500 years are that it increases the mathematical and scientific skills of the individual, even as he said that it challenges the intellectual ability of the participant in terms of its problem- solving skills which the participant acquires.

    Aikhomu, who was represented by the Chief Staff Officer of the Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, said: “In an effort to enhance the recreational therapy, healthy mind and optimise the memory of the Nigerian Navy personnel at all times, the Naval headquarters deemed it fit to organise the championship as the first sporting event of the year.”

  • 2013 African Youth Championship (AYC) Flying Eagles begin title defence today in Oran

    2013 African Youth Championship (AYC) Flying Eagles begin title defence today in Oran

     Battle Mali at 5.25pm 

     

    Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will start the defence of their Under-20 African Championship title at the Stade Ahmed Zabana in Oran today.

    John Obuh’s men were champions in South Africa in 2011 and have now been drawn in Group B alongside Mali, DR Congo and Gabon.

    The Nigerians, six-time winners of the African Youth Championship (AYC), kick off their campaign against West African opponents, Mali.

    The last time both teams met in the AYC in Johannesburg, South Africa at the semi-final stage two years ago, the Nigerians triumphed 2-0.

    Five players from Nigeria’s championship-winning team of two years ago are in the present team to defend the title this time.

    The players are Mohammed Goyi Aliyu, Chidi Osuchukwu, Kayode Olarenwaju, Edafe Egbedi and Abduljeleel Ajagun, who is now captain of the team.

    Obuh has also included the talented trio of Christian Pyagbara (Sharks), Alhaji Gero (Enugu Rangers) and Ikechukwu Okorie (Enyimba) to the squad.

    But Nigeria will start the AYC with one injury concern. Enugu Rangers’ goalkeeper, Emmanuel Daniel is out for a few days and it is likely ABS shot-stopper, Jonah Usman could start between the sticks.

    The Malian Under-20 national team go into the AYC with a talented young squad mixed with local and overseas players.

    Mali head coach, Moussa Keita, will look to talented youngsters like Boubakary Diarra (FC Nantes), Aboubacar Ibrahima Toungara (Centre Salif Keita), Abdoulaye Keita (Bastia), Boubacar Diarra (TP Mazembe), Samba Diallo (Djoliba AC) and Tiekoro Keita (Guingamp) to upset the apple cart when they face Nigeria this Sunday.

    Nigeria will play all of their group matches in the Algerian city of Oran.

    The match between Nigeria and Mali will be live on SuperSport 9 and SuperSport Select from 6.25pm CAT (5.25pm Nigerian time) this Sunday.

  • AHEAD African Youth Championship

    : Benin Rep. arrive for Flying Eagles test

    A 29-man squad from Republic of Benin have arrived in Abuja ahead of a friendly this weekend against Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles.

    Both teams are using the match to prepare for next month’s African Youth Championship in Algeria.

    Defending champions Nigeria are seeded in Group B along with DR Congo, Gabon and Mali, while Benin are in Group A with hosts Algeria, Egypt and Ghana.

    Both teams played out a 1-1 draw in another friendly played in Cotonou in September.

    Incidentally, Benin took on Nigeria’s 2013 AYC foes Gabon in two tune-up matches recently.

    They lost 1-0 in the first match before they drew 1-1 with their hosts in the second game.

    Benin will host the Gabon U20s in another warm-up game on February 20 in Cotonou.

  • VICTOR OCHEI WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

    : Togo, Benin, Ghana confirm participation

    As the stage is set for the 2nd edition of the Sir Victor Ochei Wheelchair Basketball Championship, three West African countries have confirmed participation at the championship scheduled to run between 18th-23rd February, 2013, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

    The three countries according to the technical director, Wheelchair Basketball Federation of Nigeria, (WBFN),Tamuna Adoki are Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana.

    Adoki, while speaking on the forthcoming championship which is expected to attract wheelchair Basketball team and clubs from all states of the federation disclosed that the foreign participating countries will arrive the country Sunday while the pre-match meeting for all teams hold Monday at the Indoor Sports Hall.

    The WBFN technical director further informed that the following states have confirmed their participation at the championship which attracts N5m as price money and the states are: Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Bayelsa, Edo, Rivers, Imo, Kwara, Niger and Kaduna, adding that, “there are rooms for more states to register for the championship Monday in order to encourage more participation of states and clubs, and I am optimistic that many more will register.’’

    The winner of the championship will go home with N2m , while the second place team gets N1.5m and the third placed team pocket N1million while the remaining 500,000 naira would be shared among the best behaved team, best player, best dressed team among others.

     

  • Ahead of Africa Youth Championship (ayc) Flying Eagles train in Faro, Qatar

    Ahead of Africa Youth Championship (ayc) Flying Eagles train in Faro, Qatar

    Nigeria U20s will train in Faro, Portugal, as well as in Qatar ahead of the defence of the AYC title in Algeria in March.

    Spokesman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire, disclosed Tuesday in Abuja that the Flying Eagles’ training will be in three phases.

    They are expected to open camp in Abuja next month during which they will play an international friendly before they fly out to faro, Portugal, for more training. They are also scheduled to train in Qatar because it has a similar weather to that of Algeria. The Flying Eagles are drawn in Group B of the eight-nation tournament, which begins on March 16.

    Their first round opponents are DR Congo, Gabon and Mali. The semi-finalists will qualify for the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey.

  • 32 teams jostle for Extra Joss Football Championship

    32 teams jostle for Extra Joss Football Championship

    THIRTY-TWO teams will compete in the maiden edition of the Extra Joss Football Championship which has been slated for September 29 to October 27.

    The 11-aside tournament will feature teams from five divisional zones in Lagos State just as mouth watering prizes will be given to the winners of the championship.

    According to the country manager of Orange Drugs Limited, Didik Novandi, the organization is determined to contribute its quota to improving the round leather game at the grassroots.

    “We as a company, we are trying to contribute to sport especially in football. This tournament will aid the upcoming players in their quest to gain prominence in the round leather game.

    “By the time we start funding the development of football in Lagos, there will be lots of improvement in the game. Chelsea, Arsenal football clubs and others, became big due to adequate funding.”

    Novandi added that the company intends to brand some of the country’s football stars: “Cristiano Ronaldo, Del piero were our brand Ambassador in Indonesia, we have plans to sign Austin Jay-jay Okocha as our brand ambassador in Nigeria,” he said.