The Nation Newspaper

Tag: trophy

  • Bayelsa retains wrestling trophy

    Bayelsa State has won the Governor Dickson National Wrestling Classics for the second time. The state emerged victorious in the maiden edition of the competition last year.

    In the second edition, which took place recently at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa Team was exceptionally rugged. It was a happy moment for residents of the state who trooped out en masse to cheer their team.

    Governor Seriake Dickson was in the crowd of spectators. He was elated that the trophy returned to the state, famous for wrestling. Even the Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, watched the event with excitement.

    Dickson called for synergy among the state government, the Federal Ministry of Sports and other interested partners in the sub-sector for the development of the State’s Sports Academy, Asoama in Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Area.

    The Asoama Sports Academy is an integrated sporting educational facility conceived by the Dickson’s administration to harness the potential in sports by developing budding talents in the teeming population of youths in the state.

    Dickson described the sports facility as a centre for excellence. He said the partnership was crucial to enable youths excel in sporting and academic activities. He said the academy, which jus equipped with modern facilities, has the capacity to accommodate 1000 students.

    Dickson insisted that Bayelsa is a natural home of wrestling. He announced the state government’s plans to host the national wrestling tournament annually and also urged the state Ministry of Sports Development to organise state-wide wrestling competitions to fish out budding talents.

    The governor congratulated the participants in the wrestling competition and advocated the need to promote sports development as a viable platform for the mobilisation of youths for national development.

    In his remarks, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dalung lauded the Dickson-led administration for its investments, not only in sports infrastructure, but also in sporting activities, especially in the areas of wrestling.

    Dalung identified sports as a veritable tool for the promotion of national integration, employment and wealth creation, noting that, sports could also be used to promote a healthy lifestyle.

    He said the Federal Government has a deliberate policy to involve the private sector in sports development. He charged state governments to key into the policy by promoting various sporting events in areas they have comparative advantage to make for easy management of sports in the country.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Daniel Igali Recreation Centre in Yenagoa, President of the National Wrestling Federation and former Olympic Wrestling Gold medalist, Mr. Daniel Igali said the facility was provided to enable elite athletes train properly.

    He expressed the hope that in the next three months, the facility would secure accreditation from the International Wrestling Federation and attract internationally recognised coaches to train wrestlers at the facility.

    The winners of the various weight classes of the tournament, which featured competitions in Greco-Roman, Female and Male Free-style wrestling will represent Nigeria at the African Championship scheduled to hold later in the year in Marakesh, Morocco.

    Defending Champions, Bayelsa emerged victorious in the Greco-Roman, the Male and Female Free-style categories to retain the over-all trophy.

  • School lifts football trophy

    Powergate Private Aacademy, Ipaja, defeated Dee-Jewels Schols Egbeda 5-4 to win the 2017 Lagos Inter-Schools cup final (secondary school category) organised by Wonderland Sports.

    Full time scoresline was 2-2.  But goalkeeper and Captain, Adeyinka Odunsi, was the hero for his team as he saved two spot kicks during sudden death shootout to the delight of its supporters.

    The win was a relief to Towergate team which was reduced to 10 boys after Ganiu Waris was sent off for rough play.  One of their goals was also dissallowed.

    Dee Jewels were leading 2-1 until Waris netted a late equaliser.

    Tournament top scorer, Simon Francis of Dee -Jewels, failed to add to his eight goals tally as Odunsi saved his weak spot kick.

    Odunsi was later named most valuable player of the tournament.

    Effortswill Academy, which hosted the final, beat Murtala Muhammed Airport Schools 2-1 to win the third place match.

    The primary school category was won by Taqwa Schools Ifako- Ijaiye, which beat Sonik Schools IIasamaja three goals to nothing.

    Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Mutiu Durosinmi, Khalid Murtala and Oloyede Kabir were the goal scorers.

  • Fidelis Ilechukwu: NPFL win feels like a trophy

    Fidelis Ilechukwu: NPFL win feels like a trophy

    Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministries head coach, Fidelis llechukwu has described his side’s top-flight win against former champions, Kano Pillars, as equivalent to winning a trophy.
    “The victory against Kano Pillars feels like we have won a major trophy in a keenly contested championship. The victory is quite sweet considering the quality of opposition as well as their coach, Kadiri Ikhana.
    “Of course, I expected the quality of opposition exhibited by Pillars, they are a big side, they did not disappoint. They gave the game their very best, but we had the last laugh.
    “Last season both sides shared the spoils but today (Sunday) we had the upper hand. I’m completely excited. I think we got our act perfectly right with a point at 3SC and a win today (Sunday) against Pillars. We are in good shape as we are yet to concede on the home ground. We will not relax but continue to work hard to earn more deserving wins in other matches,” said llechukwu to supersport.com.

  • CHAN Eagles can lift the trophy – Anyansi

    CHAN Eagles can lift the trophy – Anyansi

    The Chairman of  Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee, Felix Anyansi has stated that the home base Super Eagles will surpass the last record of third place in the  edition held in South Africa having been in action for the Glo Premier League just ended last month.

    Anyansi  said football was a game that is not predictable but with hard work and appropriate  preparations, one can boast of reaching the semi-final.

    “Though no one can rule out destiny when it gets to that stage. But reaching the semi-final and final without the trophy shows that the team has played well.

    He also confirmed  that his committee approved the choice of camping in Pretoria, South Africa due to similar weather condition with Kigal, Rwanda, the venue of the CHAN competition schedule for early January, 2016.

    “Apart from camping in South Africa, the team will play quality friendly matches before departing for the competition, Anyansi confirmed.

    Meanwhile, the home-based Super Eagles is to go on two days Christmas break – December 24, 25.  The break may be optional for the players as the team will resume training on the 26th  by 4 p.m.

    Sportinglife gathered that the Chief Coach, Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh is in constant touch with the team daily and may join the team in Pretoria, South Africa.  The  team will depart for the training tour first week of January,  2016.

  • EAGLETS BATTLE MALI FOR GLORY

    EAGLETS BATTLE MALI FOR GLORY

    Nigeria will again enter the history books on this night as only the second country to retain the U17 World Cup should they beat fellow Africans Mali in the final.

    Brazil were the first team to successfully defend this trophy – they won in 1997 and retained it in 1999.

    The Golden Eaglets have already won the competition a record four times, but they will go a step further if they successfully defend the trophy they won two years ago in Abu Dhabi.

    Today’s showdown will be the second all-African FIFA U17 World Cup final since 1993, when Nigeria beat Ghana 2-1 at Japan ’93.

    Nigeria coach Emmanuel Amuneke said: “The Malians are the African champions, and we have to respect them. Aside that, they have also had a great tournament here in Chile. But we are a team who find a way to play and function no matter the difficulty posed by the opposition.

    “We thank God,we are going to play the final again today and this gives us the opportunity to defend the trophy we won in 2013.”

    The final is going to be a tough and interesting contest as both teams have potent strike force with the athletic Nigeria having scored 21 goals, while the bigger and more physical Mali, who are ranked best attacking team with 132 goal attempts at the competition with 12 goals scored.

    Victor Osimhen-led Eaglets strike force has a big job to do as Mali have conceded just two goals at the championship, one in the group stage against Ecuador and in the semis against Belgium.

    Mali goalkeeper Samuel Diarra has made 10 big saves and will stand between Nigeria and goal as Victor Osimhen and Funsho Bamgboye, who has served out his one-match ban, go for goals for Nigeria.

    The Nigeria defence and goalkeeper Akpan Udoh must be up and doing against the African champions who have 33 shots saved by opposing goalkeepers at this tournament.

    Unlike Nigeria, whose bulk of goals were netted by Osimhen, Mali’s goals have been evenly spread with Sidiki Maiga their leading scorer with three goals, while Amadou Haidara, Sekou Koita, Aly Malle and Boubacar Traore have scored two goals apiece.

    Kick-off is 11pm Nigerian time.

  • School lifts Lagos quiz trophy

    School lifts Lagos quiz trophy

    The hardwork teachers and pupils of State Senior High School, Ikeja, put into their preparation for the Brighter Rewarding Future (BRF) Quiz Competition, Season VI, was rewarded with the star prize last week.

    The duo of 14-year old Habeeb Musa and 16-year old Mariam Lamidi displayed outstanding brilliance and were crowned champions of the senior secondary school category competition after defeating Mubarak Mohammed and Qudus Alabi, both 15 years old of Sanngo Senior Secondary School, Agege, by two points.

    Ismail Quadri and Tunde Olowu of Angus Memorial Senior High School, Somolu, came third in the competition.

    In the Junior Secondary School category, Festac Junior College, Festac Town, represented by 14-year-old Michael Abasi-Ifkere and 13-year-old Jimoh  Iyanu-Oluwa scored 20 points to emerge winners of the competition beating Government  Junior College, Ketu -Epe, represented by 13-year-old Patricia Imarhia  and 11-year-old Adetayo Adefarasin.

    The third place was won by Government Junior College, Ikorodu represented by Elizabeth Adekunle and Oluwatobi Ajetumobi.

    Community Nursery and Primary School, Ojo, represented by Rachael Ayodele  and Stella Ogugua,  emerged winners in the Primary Schools Category beating the pairs of Chisom Anyigor and Samuel Salami, both of Maidan Primary School, Kosofe, while Hussey Military Primary School, Yaba, represented by Khadri Adekanbi and Great Ofotokun, came third.

    In the Best Individual Mathematics Category, Master Mubarak Mohammed of Sango Senior Secondary School, Agege, won, beating Martins Ogundele also of Sango Senior Secondary School, Agege and Master Habeeb Musa of State Senior High School, Ikeja, to the second and third places respectively.

    In the Special School Category, Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Home, Bariga, represented by 17-year-old Jadesola Mogaji and 15-year-old Taiwo Omotosho, beat the duo of Solomon Omere and Eke Aleshi of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria and Adaobi Nwobi and Raiwi Uche of National Orthopaedic School, Igbobi, to the second and third positions respectively.

    Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, in her remarks, explained that the contest was organised to help develop the minds of the pupils to make them competent, effective, responsible and promote healthy rivalry among them.

     

    “The competition also aim at creating a healthy rivalry among school children in primary, junior and senior secondary schools in both public and private schools across the state and I am happy to report that the competition has indeed gained ground and has become so popular such that the level of awareness among the students and pupil is awesome,” she said.

    Mrs Oladunjoye added that the competition has brought to the fore areas where teachers need to focus on in the curriculum to improve the performance of the pupils.

    She praised Governor Babatunde Fashola for his consistent support for the education sector and the teachers for a job well done in tutoring their students, especially the special needs children who participated in the competition for the first time.

     

  • Elegbeleye tips Falconets for trophy

    Elegbeleye tips Falconets for trophy

    Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Gbenga Otolorin Elegbeleye has strongly tipped the Falconets to beat 2004 and 2010 FIFA U- 20 Women’s World Cup winner Germany in the final of the 2014 edition of the competition tagged Canada 2014 in Montreal on Sunday. The NSC top official who has been away in Europe since Monday described the performance of the Nigerian ladies as highly impressive and praised their doggedness, patriotism and dedication and the will power to make Nigeria proud in a global competition despite the crisis bedeviling football in the country. He charged the team to re-double their efforts to beat two-time world Champion Germany comprehensively to send signals to the entire world that Nigeria is a super power in women’s football as being proved over the time by the heartwarming performances of the Nigerian women’s team in global football competition. “Firstly I am highly impressed with the performance of our ladies in the ongoing FIFA U- 20 Women’s World Cup in Canada and I have a strong feeling and very confident that the Falconets will emerge winners of this year’s edition of the tournament. “Quote me Falconets will beat Germany this time around. It won’t be like in 2010 FIFA U- 20 Women’s World Cup hosted by Germany where Nigeria lost 2-0 in the final. I foresee a reverse where Nigeria will score same 2-0 to lift the 2014 edition of World Cup,” he assured. Elegbeleye also noted that the encouragement given by President Goodluck Jonathan through his prompt reward to athletes that excelled in competitions has been the tonic for the positive results Nigeria has been reaping recently. He also expressed confidence that President Jonathan would reward the Falconets handsomely if they eventually lift the trophy. “Let’s leave the issue of rewards for now and the girls should just go all out to beat Germany on Sunday and see what our loving President (Goodluck Jonathan) will do as regards compensation and rewards to football excellence. I just want the girl to come back to Nigeria with the trophy,” he said.

  • Falconets skipper: We want the trophy

    Falconets skipper: We want the trophy

    The setting for anything from joyous celebrations to intense team talks, the team bus – much like the dressing room – is usually a very private place.

    Making a special exception for FIFA.com, however, Nigeria captain Patience Okaeme invited us on board for a fascinating insight to her side’s preparations for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014.

    “We don’t normally listen to music on the bus or in the changing room before games, but we do sing,” said Okaeme with a broad smile, before revealing the identity of the team’s number one chanteuse: “Sarah (Nnodim) is the best out of all of us. We follow her, we clap along and we dance. It’s fun.”

    With Nigeria about to play their opening game at Canada 2014, coach Peter Dedevbo and his charges are finalising their preparations, and the aforementioned bus is headed straight for the training ground, where the Super Falconets will undergo their second practice session of the day.

    On that day, there was no singing or dancing, only a silence broken by the occasional whispered conversation. Dedevbo’s players are clearly saving their strength for today’s Group C clash with Mexico.

    “Our preparations for the tournament have been tough because we’re training twice a day,” said the skipper. “That’s what we were doing in Nigeria, and we’ve carried on here. I’m sure it’s going to help us when the competition starts.”

    Quietly confident

    That hard work and dedication could well be a reason why Nigeria are one of the global powers of women’s youth football, a status of which they are rightly proud. “We have never failed to qualify for the U-20 Women’s World Cup,” explained Okaeme, pointing to a record that only Germany, USA and Brazil can match.

    The last time the tournament was held, in Japan two years ago, the Super Falconets reached the semi-finals, a run that has set expectations high this time. “It’s good to know that Nigeria are one of the strongest teams around in this age group,” said the midfielder. “It gives us confidence, and we’re also aware that we have a good side too.

    “We also know, though, that we made the last four two years back. This time we want to go further. We want to win the trophy and that means more pressure for the team, whether you like it or not.”

    The mere thought of making her World Cup debut causes Okaeme’s face to light up: “I was part of Nigeria’s U-17 team, but I missed the world finals two years ago (in Azerbaijan) because of injury, so these will be my first.”

    Born into a family of football lovers, the 19-year-old Okaeme is well aware of the opportunity now awaiting her: “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment to come. I think I’m going to have fun in Canada and I’m going to experience a lot of things here.”

    A captain’s duties

    2014 has been a special year so far for the youngster, who has just been appointed team captain. “I was very excited and nervous when they made me the skipper, though I’ve gradually been getting used to the situation,” she commented, aware that she has to do much more than just pull on an armband before each game.

    “A good captain has to know how to motivate her team-mates when morale is low. She has to lead the way, be understanding and friendly with everyone and treat every member of the team the same.”

    The bus comes to a halt at the gates of the training ground the Nigerians are using in Moncton, where they will be playing their group-phase matches against England, Korea Republic and the Mexicans.

    Okaeme bids farewell as her team-mates jog off, focused on their final preparations for tonight’s encounter with El Tri, an occasion on which the Super Falconets, ready for the fray, will be singing and dancing, giving full voice to their determination to succeed in Canada.

  • Falconets’ coach wants to lift trophy

    Falconets’ coach wants to lift trophy

    NIGERIA Under 20 women’s coach Peter Dedevbo has said his ambition is to lift the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

    The Falconets will battle England, Mexico and Korea Republic in Group C of the preliminary round of the competition and Dedevbo has revealed that his technical crew and players are fired up to emerge as world champions.

    “Every team that qualified for this U-20 World Cup is good. And all the handlers will tell you they want to win the trophy. My dream is to win the tournament too,” Dedevbo told Goal.

    “They (the Falcons) should be focused. (When FIFA suspended Nigeria) the concern was there. But the situation was calm with the players and there was no problem,” he said.

    He further said that his technical crew have worked collectively in ensuring good cohesion and understanding among the players, stressing that each player in the team is very important. He also pleaded with Nigerians to support the Falconets who are ready to make the country proud.

    “More than half of the (players in the) team raised their games. There is big hope for us coupled with some that are ready to make sacrifices,” he continued.

    “There is a great hope, they have improved. It’s not like when they were playing the (World Cup) qualifiers. They are playing like a team that is ready for the World Cup.

    “We have some individual talents – but I tried as much as possible not to build the team around some individual players – I built the team around everybody in the team from the goalkeeping department to the attack.

    “We put all our hope and trust in God. We have a team that will do very well. We have a team that can go places, but all depends on God.

    “I have no concerns, no matter how hot the weather is, we are used to hot weather. I know before the World Cup starts the players will adjust. That may not be a problem.

    “I appeal to Nigerians to rally round the team, pray for the team so that we can do well at the World Cup in Canada,” he concluded.

  • FEDERATION CUP: Lobi want trophy as gift for Gov. Suswan

    FEDERATION CUP: Lobi want trophy as gift for Gov. Suswan

    • Won’t take Dolphins for granted

    Lobi Stars Team Manager Barnabas Imenger  says the club will do its all to win the ongoing Federation Cup trophy as a parting gift to Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan.

    Suswan will complete his eight years’ tenure in office in 2015.

    Imenger reasons that the best way to appreciate the governor’s efforts for the team is by winning the cup for him.

    “Right from the beginning of the competition we resolved that we would win the Federation Cup for our departing governor, Gabriel Suswan. He has been supporting the team since he assumed the office and his contribution has not been in small measures.

    “The Federation has produced great players and we are going to explore everything in our arsenal to get the cup as a parting gift for our governor as he completes his eight years in office in 2015,” Imenger told SportingLife.

    The ex-international won the Federation Cup as a player with El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in 1991 and 1992 and as a chief coach with Lobi Stars in 2004 when Godwin Uwa was Technical adviser.

    “I have won it as a player and as a coach and now I want to win the cup as a manager too,” he said.

    The former BBL Hawks of Makurdi and BCC Lions of Gboko player said his side will not take Dolphins for granted in the quarter final match on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti.

    “We have respect for Dolphins. They have a good side and a good coach. We are not going to take chances against Dolphins because we won to win.”