The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OLYMPICS

  • Olympics: Countries scramble for Toriola as coach

    Olympics: Countries scramble for Toriola as coach

    The rapturous applause that attended his exit from the Table Tennis event of the Rio Olympics could have been mistaken for a victorious ovation. Nigeria’s legendary table tennis icon Segun Toriola exited the Rio Games but held his head high the way only legends do.

    His conqueror, Japan’s Niwa Koki, who beat Segun in the men’s singles event of table tennis joined in acknowledging the iconic star who raised his hands to return the sporadic applause.

    Not long after his defeat, Toriola who made history by joining the elite stars’ club of players to have attended the 7 Olympics turned out to be the beautiful bride who is sought after by many countries to sign as their coach.

    ‘’Countries are queuing to see who will out-bid each other to land Toriola as coach’’, a very dependable source said here.

    Interestingly, too, Nigeria is also desirous of landing the history maker as their coach.

    President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Enitan Oshodi said they’ve always been interested and would want to complete the deal, noting however that Toriola was still much fit to continue with his club functions. “He’ll be an asset and has always been to our young athletes. We’ll see how to make it even if it means living abroad and coaching from there as it were.

    “The young man deserves all the accolades he gets. That is the result of discipline and hard work. And honestly,  they are the things lacking in our youth players. They are in a hurry to ride expensive cars without working for it,” Oshodi bemoaned.

    Just as the International Table Tennis Federation plan to honour his historic 7th Olympic appearance, there are feelers that officials of Team Nigeria are also planning to roll out the red carpet to this eminent Nigerian Ping Ponger.

  • Rio Olympics 2016:Williams sisters lose in doubles

    Rio Olympics 2016:Williams sisters lose in doubles

    Serena and Venus Williams on Sunday at Rio 2016 lost for the first time in an Olympics doubles match.

    According to News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN), their hopes of winning a fourth successive title were surprisingly ended in the first round.

    The American top seeds lost 6-3 6-4 to Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova, who were only paired together at late notice.

    Strycova replaced Karolina Pliskova, who withdrew because of Zika concerns.

    This was the Williams’ first defeat in 16 Olympics matches playing together.

    The sisters won gold together at Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, but did not compete at Athens 2004 after Serena pulled out through injury.

    “We played terrible and it showed in the results,” said 22-time Grand Slam singles title winner Serena.

    NAN reports that Venus, 36, also lost in the singles on Saturday.

    The U.S. women’s Olympic tennis coach Mary Joe Fernandez had said afterwards that the seven-time major champion had been sick since before she arrived in Brazil.

    Serena, 34, can still become the first woman to win two Olympic singles titles after the London 2012 gold medallist beat Australia’s Daria Gavrilova earlier on Sunday.

    But Venus, who won the individual title at Sydney 2000, saw her hopes of a fifth gold ended by Safarova and Strycova.

    Neither of the unseeded Czech pair had previously won an Olympic doubles match, also losing their only previous outing together in a Fed Cup match last year.

    “It was what it was,’’ Serena said. “We have a chance to compete for our country and did the best that we can. We had a blast out there.

    “I wouldn’t say it was devastating. It was a lot of fun and we will always remember these moments and these matches.

    “At the end of the day, I think that’s what matters most.’’

  • Aminu lands in Brazil for Dream Team

    Aminu lands in Brazil for Dream Team

    Osmanlıspor striker Umar Aminu has landed in Brazil ahead of the Dream Team second Olympics Group B clash against Sweden on Sunday night.

    Aminu missed Nigeria’s 5-4 win over Japan on Friday morning because of his club involvement in the Europa League qualification tie played on Thursday.

    “I am now in Brazil and I arrived last night,”Aminu told allnigeriasoccer.com when asked if he has kept his promise of joining the Nigeria U23s on Friday.

    The ex-Flying Eagles star will train with the team on Saturday before Coach Samson Siasia will decide whether or not to feature him against the Scandinavians.

    Nigerian takes on Sweden at the Amazônia Arena, Manaus, at 11:00pm Nigerian time.

  • Olympics: Dream Team’s victory, a good beginning – Buhari

    Olympics: Dream Team’s victory, a good beginning – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday expressed optimism that the country’s team will put up an impressive showing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

    The President stated this in his message to the Nigerian Olympics contingent.

    Buhari, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, hoped that the nation’s Under 23 football team victory over Japan in the early hours of Friday will serve as an inspiration to the entire contingent.

    He said: “On behalf of the government and people of our great country, I wish to express my support to our athletes who have arrived in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. I am particularly delighted by the outcome of the football match early this morning in which our football team defeated their Japanese counterparts.

    “The sweetness of the victory comes from the fact that it came against all odds.  Our team overcame several challenges to put up a sterling performance. This is a good beginning.”

    He praised the resilience, hardwork and patriotism that the athletes have put into their preparations.

    President Buhari added: “I am already aware that you have made personal sacrifices in your journey to the Olympic Games. The motivation comes from strong discipline and the love of the nation.”

    “As you embark on the search for honours for the nation, I seize this opportunity to assure our Olympians that you have my support and those of all Nigerians.

    “Go! Win and return with laurels, I wish you the best.”

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  • Olympics: FIFA assigns Oliseh to study Nigeria matches

    Olympics: FIFA assigns Oliseh to study Nigeria matches

    Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, who is on the FIFA technical study group for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been assigned to analyse Nigeria matches against Japan and Colombia in the Games soccer event.

    Nigeria faces Japan in both countries’ opening game at the Olympics on Friday in Manaus, while the Dream Team VI confronts Colombia in the last group game in Sao Paolo on August 10, africanFootball.com reports.

    Oliseh coached the Super Eagles coach between July 2015 and February this year.

  • Mikel ‘happy’ to lead Team Nigeria at Olympics

    Mikel ‘happy’ to lead Team Nigeria at Olympics

    Captain of Team Nigeria to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mikel Obi, on Wednesday described his appointment  as overwhelming.

    Speaking from the U-23 team’s camp in Atlanta, United States, the Chelsea midfielder said his selection as Team Nigeria captain  was the highest accolade a sportsman can ever get from his country.

    “First and foremost, I will say I am overwhelmed with this opportunity to be the captain of Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics. This is the highest accolade you can ever have as a sportsman‎ and it’s one I am really looking forward to,” allnigeriasoccer.com quoted the Super Eagles captain as saying on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) website – thenff.com.

    “I am much pleased and very happy with myself for what I have been able to achieve, and grateful to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and the entire country for this opportunity.

    “My objective is to carry everyone along. I think it’s important that we all work together. It’s important that we all set one goal, that is to be successful, to win medals, particularly gold medals. Our country has not done very well in recent times at the Olympics, so hopefully we can go to Rio and do well.”

     

  • Javelin gold medallist decries state of equipment

    Pius Bazigbe, a gold medallist at the 1995 African Games Championships on Wednesday decried the type of Javelin equipment used at competitions in Nigeria.

    Bazigbe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from his Bayelsa base that the aerodynamic Javelins should be adopted because they added distance to athletes’ throw.

    “Javelin is an international sport that has been of importance since Athens Olympics, it is taken in high esteem in other countries.

    “Field events in Nigeria, especially Javelin have been abandoned. The Javelin we use in Nigeria is not aerodynamic. If we do not use the right equipment, the athletes will not improve.

    “Athletics in Nigeria needs to go back to the drawing board; I have told the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) board that aerodynamic Javelins go far but they haven’t listened,’’ he said.

    He also said that there was no reason for the AFN not to have selected Samuel Kure who threw 72.00m for the forthcoming Olympics, adding that he threw 74.00m last year.

    “Javelin throwers also need international experience; it should not just end at the continental level. Kure who won gold at the Golden League in Akure should have been selected.

    “We have talented throwers but when the Javelin used is not standard, what do you expect? Magic cannot happen,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the Javelin throw Olympics qualification for men is 83.00m, while that of the women is 62.00m.

    He said that Kure should have been included in the Olympics, if not for medal but for exposure.

    NAN reports that Bazigbe represented the country at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

    Bazigbe set the current national record of 80.08 metres in 1999 and till date, no one has beaten the record.

  • Mikel to captain Team Nigeria at Olympics

    Mikel to captain Team Nigeria at Olympics

    Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, will lead the Team Nigeria to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The Sports Ministry said the Chelsea midfielder has been picked because he is regarded as “a role model” to the upcoming athletes.

    Mikel is one of the over-aged players named in the Nigeria U-23 team for the men’s football event at the Olympics, supersport.com reports.

    Rio 2016 will be Mikel’s first appearance at the Olympics.

    Table tennis star, Funke Oshonaike, has been named as the team assistant captain.

    “Mikel is a young, patriotic footballer of international status and we believe he will be a role model to the upcoming athletes, while Funke Oshonaike is experienced and is one of the oldest athletes in the team. We believe that their combined efforts will bring goodwill to Team Nigeria and project the county’s image positively to the world,” supersport.com stated the head of mission, Christian Ohaa, as saying on Tuesday.

     

  • German club releases Obanor for Olympics

    German club releases Obanor for Olympics

    German 2 Bundesliga club, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, will allow new signing Erhun Obanor to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games in Brazil.

    The defender departed Bavaria a day after signing a three- year contract with the second-tier club to link up with the Olympic Team in Atlanta, United States.

    “Greuther Fürth has released Obanor to the Nigeria Football Federation and paid for his flight ticket from Germany to U.S,” a team official told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “The club officials have asked him to return immediately to Germany if he does not make the final squad or whenever Nigeria’s participation at the Olympics ends.”

    Obanor, 20, made Nigeria’s roster for the 2014 African Nations Championship held in South Africa.

     

  • Omeruo, Ndidi out of Olympics

    Omeruo, Ndidi out of Olympics

    Super Eagles duo of Kenneth Omeruo and Wilfred Ndidid will not be selected in the Nigeria squad for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Goal reports.

    John Obi Mikel and Daniel Akpeyi have been picked as Nigeria’s two overage players for the quadrennial Games starting on August 4.

    “Omeruo wanted to play but he has not sorted his contract issue with Chelsea who has a new coach in Antonio Conte,” a team official told Goal.

    “Wilfred (Ndidi) issue is because his club coach wants Samson Siasia to make the player a starter in the U-23 team. Siasia believed this was a mere excuse by the club in order not to release the defender for the Games.”

    The team official also dismissed claims that Siasia has announced his final squad for the Olympics.

    “Coach Samson Siasia is yet to release his final 18-man squad for the Olympics.

    “In fact he was sad to read the report on the online media. He has pleaded that sports reporters should wait for the Nigeria Football Federation to release the final Olympics squad,” he added.