Okagbare completes sprint double
Nigeria’s sprint queen, Blessing Okagbare yesterday won the women 200m gold at the on-going Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. She clocked 20.25 seconds to confirm forecasts that the sprints medals were hers for the taking.
She had earlier on Monday won the gold in the women 100m with 10.85 seconds, setting games record while beating tested Jamaican runners Veronica Campbell Brow and Kerron Stewart. And yesterday, Okagbare faced a British challenge in the field and she easily blew the other women away. She was too strong for the English girls J. Williams and B. Williams who won silver and bronze at 22.50 and 22.58 respectively. She made history as the 11 woman to win the Commonwealth Games sprints double. And now she is beckon
ing more history as the first Nigerian woman to win three gold medals in the Commonwealth Games if the Nigerian female relay team clinches the 4x100m gold.
Also yesterday young and up and coming Ese Brume made up for the disappointment of missing the gold at the world junior championships in Eugene, Oregon USA, when she won gold in the women’s long jump with a 6.56m. England’s Jazmin Sawyers was second and Christabel Nettey from Canada was third. Brume only arrived Scotland three days ago. Blessing Okagbare decided to drop the Long Jump especially after taking a look at the programme that saw the final of the Long Jump close to the final of 200m. She had told all that Brume would make good representation for Nigeria. And the young Delta athlete did that gracefully and dedicated her gold to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who has been solidly behind the athletes, sponsoring their programmes and approving training grants for them.
“This feels good and I thank God for this gold. I thank our Governor and I dedicate this to him and our country,” she said.
Head of sports Amaju Pinnick had said last year that Brume would be the athlete to step into the shoes of Blessing Okagbare.
“Blessing is still strong competing at top level and Brume is already stepping into her shoes. It is great for them, for Delta and Nigeria in general,” said Amuju from Scotland.
Also yesterday young and up and coming Ese Brume made up for the disappointment of missing the gold at the world junior championships in Eugene, Oregon USA, when she won gold in the women’s long jump with a 6.56m. England’s Jazmin Sawyers was second and Christabel Nettey from Canada was third. Brume only arrived Scotland three days ago. Blessing Okagbare decided to drop the Long Jump especially after taking a look at the programme that saw the final of the Long Jump close to the final of 200m. She had told all that Brume would make good representation for Nigeria. And the young Delta athlete did that gracefully and dedicated her gold to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who has been solidly behind the athletes, sponsoring their programmes and approving training grants for them.
“This feels good and I thank God for this gold. I thank our Governor and I dedicate this to him and our country,” she said.
Head of sports Amaju Pinnick had said last year that Brume would be the athlete to step into the shoes of Blessing Okagbare.
“Blessing is still strong competing at top level and Brume is already stepping into her shoes. It is great for them, for Delta and Nigeria in general,” said Amuju from Scotland.
140 special athletes
will storm the University of Lagos for the 2014 Special Olympics Nigeria national Games billed to hold between 10th and 13th of August.
The games will feature athletes from the South West, South East, North Central and South-South geopolitical zones of the country.
According to a member of the board of the Special Olympics Nigeria, Udeme Ufot who addressed the media in Lagos yesterday, “the athletes will compet in 7 Olympics type sports such as Athletics, Acquatics, Badminton, Basketball, Cycling (demonstrative), Table Tennis and Unified Football.”
Outstanding performers will be selected to represent Nigeria at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, United States. He said, “Special Olympics brings together equal number of athletes with intellectual disabilities and their peers without intellectual disabilities on the same team for training and competition.”
The games are being supported by numerous sponsors including Coca Cola, MTN, GTBank, Union Bank among others.
Although Ufot said Special Olympics Nigeria would have loved to host the global fiesta sometime, that can only be possible when government shows seriousness in developing the necessary infrastructure.
“That would have been a fantastic idea, but I must say that we are not ready yet.” The Lagos state government pledged its support
Special Olympics: Unilag hosts 2014 Nigeria National Games
will storm the University of Lagos for the 2014 Special Olympics Nigeria national Games billed to hold between 10th and 13th of August.
The games will feature athletes from the South West, South East, North Central and South-South geopolitical zones of the country.
According to a member of the board of the Special Olympics Nigeria, Udeme Ufot who addressed the media in Lagos yesterday, “the athletes will compet in 7 Olympics type sports such as Athletics, Acquatics, Badminton, Basketball, Cycling (demonstrative), Table Tennis and Unified Football.”
Outstanding performers will be selected to represent Nigeria at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, United States. He said, “Special Olympics brings together equal number of athletes with intellectual disabilities and their peers without intellectual disabilities on the same team for training and competition.”
The games are being supported by numerous sponsors including Coca Cola, MTN, GTBank, Union Bank among others.
Although Ufot said Special Olympics Nigeria would have loved to host the global fiesta sometime, that can only be possible when government shows seriousness in developing the necessary infrastructure.
“That would have been a fantastic idea, but I must say that we are not ready yet.” The Lagos state government pledged its support
Special Olympics: Unilag hosts 2014 Nigeria National Games
The Acting President of
the Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Mike Umeh has condemned the purported “emerg-ency congress” organ-ised by those he called “Maigari’s supporters” saying, “the gathering is unconstitutional.”
In a chat with Sports Vanguard, Umeh said, “Maigari, as a former President of the NFF knows what the rules say about these things. He has no right to call a congress. What they have done is unconstitutional.”
He wondered why his predecessor was showing so much desperation, warning, “he should not do anything that would lead the name of the country into disrepute.”
Meanwhile, in a formal rejection of the so-called emergency congress, the NFF issued a release yesterday.
The release issued by the NFF Assistant Director, Communication, Asemola Olajire reads, “The Nigeria Football Federation has alerted Nigerians to a document being circulated by a group of persons who claimed that an emergency Congress of the NFF held in Abuja on Thursday, 31st July, 2014.
“The NFF Executive Committee rose from its meeting of Wednesday, 30th July to say that the emergency Congress had been postponed, and duly apologized to members of the Congress, while stating that the Congress would hold at a later date.
“There was no Congress at all, and we urge Nigerians to ignore the so –called decisions contained in the document. A properly –constituted NFF Congress would be convoked at a date to be made known to the public soon,” Chief Mike Umeh, NFF Acting President, said in Abuja.
He added: “Whoever is instigating these persons does not love Nigeria and should be advised to stop.”
Maigari has no right to call a congress — Umeh
the Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Mike Umeh has condemned the purported “emerg-ency congress” organ-ised by those he called “Maigari’s supporters” saying, “the gathering is unconstitutional.”
In a chat with Sports Vanguard, Umeh said, “Maigari, as a former President of the NFF knows what the rules say about these things. He has no right to call a congress. What they have done is unconstitutional.”
He wondered why his predecessor was showing so much desperation, warning, “he should not do anything that would lead the name of the country into disrepute.”
Meanwhile, in a formal rejection of the so-called emergency congress, the NFF issued a release yesterday.
The release issued by the NFF Assistant Director, Communication, Asemola Olajire reads, “The Nigeria Football Federation has alerted Nigerians to a document being circulated by a group of persons who claimed that an emergency Congress of the NFF held in Abuja on Thursday, 31st July, 2014.
“The NFF Executive Committee rose from its meeting of Wednesday, 30th July to say that the emergency Congress had been postponed, and duly apologized to members of the Congress, while stating that the Congress would hold at a later date.
“There was no Congress at all, and we urge Nigerians to ignore the so –called decisions contained in the document. A properly –constituted NFF Congress would be convoked at a date to be made known to the public soon,” Chief Mike Umeh, NFF Acting President, said in Abuja.
He added: “Whoever is instigating these persons does not love Nigeria and should be advised to stop.”
Maigari has no right to call a congress — Umeh
More facts have
emerged from the Executive Committee meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation held in Abuja, Wednesday, particularly, on the impending re-engagement of Coach Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles coach.
Sports Vanguard gathered that although the NFF expressed the desire to retain Keshi, the Chief Mike Umeh-led executive committee resolved to carry out a thorough appraisal of Nigeria’s participation at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup before opening talks with the former head coach of the Hawks of Togo. They have also asked Keshi to show interest in writing that he is interested in continuing his job.
“We want to do first things first,” a source disclosed, adding, “we would like Keshi to submit a comprehensive technical report on the team’s performance in Brazil, the players’ conduct, where we got it wrong and what we did right.
“It is only right to know what actually happened in Brazil. We should know these things so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes in future,” the source said.
To prove the executive committee’s resolve, our source said, unless this step was taken before Super Eagles’ next assignment, the exco is not in a hurry to re-engage Keshi.
“If these issues are not resolved before the commencement of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers, a coach from the technical department would be drafted to lead the team to the qualifiers,” our source contended.
NFF not in a hurry to re-engage Keshi
emerged from the Executive Committee meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation held in Abuja, Wednesday, particularly, on the impending re-engagement of Coach Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles coach.
Sports Vanguard gathered that although the NFF expressed the desire to retain Keshi, the Chief Mike Umeh-led executive committee resolved to carry out a thorough appraisal of Nigeria’s participation at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup before opening talks with the former head coach of the Hawks of Togo. They have also asked Keshi to show interest in writing that he is interested in continuing his job.
“We want to do first things first,” a source disclosed, adding, “we would like Keshi to submit a comprehensive technical report on the team’s performance in Brazil, the players’ conduct, where we got it wrong and what we did right.
“It is only right to know what actually happened in Brazil. We should know these things so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes in future,” the source said.
To prove the executive committee’s resolve, our source said, unless this step was taken before Super Eagles’ next assignment, the exco is not in a hurry to re-engage Keshi.
“If these issues are not resolved before the commencement of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers, a coach from the technical department would be drafted to lead the team to the qualifiers,” our source contended.
NFF not in a hurry to re-engage Keshi
Sports Minister and
Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo has expressed sadness over the reported drug-test failure by Team Nigeria’s first gold medallist at the on-going 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Chika Amalaha.
Convinced that Amalaha is innocent, an angered Dr. Danagogo has warned that officials as well as coaches who are found to aid or condone cheating would face severe sanctions from the National Sports Commission.
Amalaha, who was the heroine of Team Nigeria at the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana last May where she won three gold medals in her weightlifting event, was alleged to have failed the first sample drug-test conducted on her after her Games’ record lifting in the 53kg category and suspended pending the result of the B sample.
Dr. Danagogo who is also at the Games and had directed that Team Nigeria’s medalists been rewarded instantly for their feat to further boost their morale described the dope incident as embarrassing but hopes the B test turns out negative.
Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo has expressed sadness over the reported drug-test failure by Team Nigeria’s first gold medallist at the on-going 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Chika Amalaha.
Convinced that Amalaha is innocent, an angered Dr. Danagogo has warned that officials as well as coaches who are found to aid or condone cheating would face severe sanctions from the National Sports Commission.
Amalaha, who was the heroine of Team Nigeria at the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana last May where she won three gold medals in her weightlifting event, was alleged to have failed the first sample drug-test conducted on her after her Games’ record lifting in the 53kg category and suspended pending the result of the B sample.
Dr. Danagogo who is also at the Games and had directed that Team Nigeria’s medalists been rewarded instantly for their feat to further boost their morale described the dope incident as embarrassing but hopes the B test turns out negative.
“The reported first sample drug-test failure of our female weightlifter is very embarrassing and I feel so saddened although I’m still convinced that the 16 yr old Amalaha is innocent and hopes that she doesn’t fail the ‘confirmation test’,” the Minister said from the Games venue in Glasgow.
As a way of curbing the drug issue, he stressed that, “nevertheless I must use my office as Sports Minister to enshrine tenets of integrity and fair competition in our sports, especially as it concerns the youths.
In that regard, I will ensure the use of MRI scanning devices amongst others, as routine on our age-grade players, and pre-competition drug-test regime on athletes generally.”
As a way of curbing the drug issue, he stressed that, “nevertheless I must use my office as Sports Minister to enshrine tenets of integrity and fair competition in our sports, especially as it concerns the youths.
In that regard, I will ensure the use of MRI scanning devices amongst others, as routine on our age-grade players, and pre-competition drug-test regime on athletes generally.”
warning that “Officials and coaches who are found to encourage or condone cheating of any kind would face severe sanctions.”
Amalaha’s drug saga saddens Danagogo
Dolphins will
face cup holders Enyimba in the final of this year’s Federation Cup final after they pipped hard-fighting Prime FC in Thursday’s semi-final in Abuja.
Both Nigeria Premier League clubs will clash in the cup final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on August 16.
Dolphins are aiming for a fifth cup triumph, while Enyimba are on track for a fourth victory in the cup competition after they won last year’s final against Warri Wolves.
Ebube Okpokwu was Dolphins match winner in the 48th minute against lower league Prime FC in Abuja.
The Port Harcourt club are reaching final for the first time in seven years.
Enyimba shaded the other semi-final when they beat Giwa FC 1-0 courtesy of Raphael Buomsong’s goal in Abeokuta.
Dolphins, Enyimba for Federation Cup final
face cup holders Enyimba in the final of this year’s Federation Cup final after they pipped hard-fighting Prime FC in Thursday’s semi-final in Abuja.
Both Nigeria Premier League clubs will clash in the cup final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on August 16.
Dolphins are aiming for a fifth cup triumph, while Enyimba are on track for a fourth victory in the cup competition after they won last year’s final against Warri Wolves.
Ebube Okpokwu was Dolphins match winner in the 48th minute against lower league Prime FC in Abuja.
The Port Harcourt club are reaching final for the first time in seven years.
Enyimba shaded the other semi-final when they beat Giwa FC 1-0 courtesy of Raphael Buomsong’s goal in Abeokuta.
Dolphins, Enyimba for Federation Cup final
Culled from Vanguard
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