university hockey

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife recorded victory on Tuesday at the ongoing Hotlink/NUGA Hockey Championship at the OAU Sports Complex just as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria recorded victory as well.

The hockey championship that is being sponsored by Hotlink Sports Shop in conjunction with OAU Sports Council and being supported by Industrial General Insurance (IGI) has lived to its billing being the first of its kind in the anal of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA).

In the group B match played, OAU team led by its energetic skipper, David Ogbuke had difficulty to penetrate the defence line of their opponent from University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) throughout the first half of the tension soaked game while they managed to score the lone goal of the game in the 43 minutes by the skipper in a goal mount scramble.

However, the NUGA games champion efforts to increase the tally proved abortive as the Dr Osigwe Cyril led Abeokuta based team defended well to maintain the score-line despite mounting pressures from the home side just as they gave a good account of themselves to the admiration of the OAU supporters who thronged the venue to cheer all the teams.

 Similarly, ABU hockey team coached by Ndana Baba Abdullahi had the mince meat of their opponent, University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka as they scored two un-replied goals in each half of their group A match decided at the complex.

Kichem Gomerep score the curtail raiser in the 32 minutes of the game to give his team a slim lead before Abubakar Musa increase the tally in the 52 minutes thus gave his side a resounding and comfortable lead in the group chart.

Moreover, the UNN team frantic moves to reduce the goal deficit failed to materialize as every progress made almost resulted to another goal from the highly determined Zaria based team who claimed to have set their pace in motion for the championship.

CIRCUIT TENNIS

As a result of interest and effort to improve Nigerian players in their rankings and development, the Local Organisng Committee of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship has decided to source for sponsorship for the players who are able to get to the quarterfinal stage of the tournament forthwith.

Tournament Director of the ITF approved championship; Prince Wale Oladunjoye said that Nigerian players that qualify for the quarterfinal of the tournament will be sponsored to a minimum of three circuits within African continent. According to him, the players will have the opportunity to play in ITF rated tournaments at least every three months.

“This will enable the luck players to be competition ready and would have been further exposed to feature in the Governor’s Cup. Playing circuits across Africa will further help our players improve their chances during the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, which serves as a window for them to interact, expose and improve their skills with foreign stars coming to Lagos-the 3rd emerging Mega City of the world- to garner points and prize money,” said Prince Oladunjoye, who is also the Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State.

Prince Oladunjoye emphasised that the players will be chosen on merit and will be expected to meet certain criteria which include their conduct  on and off the courts, as well as regular improvement in their chosen career.

HIV TABLE TENNIS

Office of Sports of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development in collaboration with the Lagos State Aids Control Agency (LSACA) is organizing an eight (8) week State Table Tennis League and HIV Sensitization Seminars which will commence from Thursday, 3^rd November, 2011 and it is to be concluded on Saturday, 17^th December, 2011. The League is to be played every Thursdays of the week through to Thursday, 15^th December, 2011 while the finals will be concluded on Saturday, 17^th December, 2011.

 

Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development stated the above in his office. He also said that the League was an initiative of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association when he was the Chairman of the Association. The League which stopped abruptly after his resignation as the chairman is re-birthing courtesy of the Office of Sports of the Ministry.

 

Alongside the competition proper, arrangement has also been made for HIV Sensitization Seminars for all the Sports men and women in the State using the League as a platform. Each Sports Association is expected to attend the seminars with twenty male and twenty female athletes on the various dates allotted to each Sports Association specifically on Thursdays of the League Competition days between 8:00am to 10:00am. The various Sports Associations Secretaries have been duly notified on the days they are to invite their athletes for the HIV Sensitization Seminars in collaboration with LSACA.

 

Interested Table Tennis players in Lagos State have been advised to register and participate in the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events. Registration form is to be obtained, completed and necessary fees paid by each player. The form could be obtained from the Table Tennis Association Secretary at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos. The closing date for registration and payment is Monday, 31^st November, 2011.

 

The Honourable Commissioner further opined that the various Sports Associations will also enjoy one competition or the other which they organised on a quarterly basis as time goes on. This quarterly competition are aimed at  preparing Lagos athletes for any competition at anytime instead of competition based ad-hoc open and closed camp preparations and also preparing Lagos Athletes for the 18^th National Sports Festival to be hosted by the State. The competitions are also to ensure efficient and effective data base for Lagos athletes’ performance, he concluded.

TABLE TENNIS

The Southwest Zone One of National Sports Commission, Obafemi Awolowo Stadium is organizing a two day Under-15 Table Tennis Championship for boys and girls in the zone, (which comprises of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos State). The Championship which is the Quarterly Sports Development Programme of the Commission for second quarter will hold at the indoor sports hall of the Stadium as followv Arrival - 26th May, 2011
v Competition - 27th – 28th May, 2011
v Departure - 29th May, 2011
The Zonal Coordinator Mr. Steve Olarinoye stated that the championship is organized to discover new talent in the game stressing that southwest has always been at the forefront of the game in Nigeria, emphasizing that the legacy should not be destroyed.
He however enjoined the public to turn out en masse to cheer the players to victory.
Trophies, Prizes and Certificates will be awarded to deserving players at the end of the competition.
Dignitaries expected at the occasion includes: State Sports Commissioners from the zone (Oyo, Ogun and Lagos).
General Managers / Directors of Sports, Chairmen of Sports Council and Zonal Representatives and sports lovers.

POLO

NIGERIA,S NATIONAL POLO TEAM WILL BEGIN THEIR QUEST TO BE AT THE WORLD POLO CUP IN MALAYSIA LATER IN THE YEAR WITH THEIR FIRST QUALIFYING MATCH AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA ON JUNE 13TH.THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIA POLO FEDERATION MR FRANCIS OGBORO SAID THAT NIGERIA,S NEXT MATCH WILL BE AGAINST PAKISTAN.HE STATED  FURTHER THAT THE TWO ARGENTINE COACHES THAT WILL TINKER TEAM WOULD ARRIVE THE COUNTRY NEXT WEEK TO HELP PUT THE NIGERIAN TEAM THROUGH THEIR TRAINING SCHEDULE.

TENNIS

THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA HAS PENCILED DOWN THE NAMES OF 8 JUNIOR TENNIS PLAYERS THAT WILL FORM IT,S JUNIOR TENNIS TEAM FOR FUTURE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT.THEY INCLUDE CHRISTIAN PAUL,MOSES MICHAEL,SAMUEL OMOLE,EMMANUEL IDOKO,ONYEKA MBANU,MICHAEL MICHAEL,SYLVESTER EMMANUEL AND EDWARD CHRISTOPHER.THESE PLAYERS WERE PICKED AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE 5TH CBN JUNIOR TENNIS CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT WHICH WAS HELD AT THE LAGOS LAWN TENNIS COURTS IN ONIKAN LAGOS
.ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE APEX BANK,THE PLAYERS WILL BE FINANCED AND GIVEN SCHOLARSHIP BY THE BANK TO TRAIN AND PLAY TENNIS FOR THE COUNTRY IN FUTURE.
EARLIER IN THE FINALS OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP CHRISTIAN PAUL BEAT EMMANUEL IDOKO 9-4 IN THE UNDER 18 BOYS SINGLES WHILE MICHAEL MICHAEL BEAT SYLVESTER EMMANUEL 9-4 IN THE UNDER 16 BOYS.STILL ON THE BOYS CATEGORY BIODUN DAVID BEAT OLUMIDE AYOOLA 9-3 IN THE UNDER 14 BOYS,MICHAEL OSHEWA DEFEATED JOHN DICKSON 9-8 IN THE UNDER 12 BOYS,WHILE TERRY DIAS BEAT JEBUTU EMMANUEL 9-0 IN THE UNDER 10 BOYS.IN THE GIRLS CATEGORY 8 YEAR OLD OYILOWO QUADRE LOST TO 18 YEAR OLD AFOLARIN AKOSILE 9-1.QUADRE WAS THE STAR OF THE TOURNAMENT AS SHE HAD EARLIER DEFEATED NO ONE SEED IN THE 2ND ROUND AND THE NUMBER 3 SEED IN THE QUARTERFINAL TO GET TO THE FINALS.

SCRABBLE

NIGERIA,S TOP SCRABBLE PLAYER CHINEDU OKWELUGO HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FROM ALL SCRABBLE ACTIVITIES INDEFINITELY BY THE NIGERIA SCRABBLE FEDERATION.ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NIGERIA SCRABBLE FEDERATION AIKENS JAMES,CHINEDU OKWELUGO WAS SUSPENDED FOR SPEARHEADING A SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD TOKE AKA AND THE FEDERATION BOARD.HE STATED FURTHER THAT A  DECISION TO LIFT THE SUSPENSION WOULD BE REACHED AFTER AN INVESTIGATION ON THE ALLEGATION HE LEVELED AGAINST THE BOARD WAS CARRIED OUT.MEANWHILE 11TH AND 12TH OF JUNE HAS BEEN FIXED AS A DATE FOR THE IBADAN NATIONAL OPEN SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP.THE IBADAN NATIONAL OPEN IS ONE OF THE TOURNAMENTS USED BY THE PLAYERS TO GARNER POINTS FOR THEIR RANKING.   

VOLLEYBALL

NIGERIA,S MEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY ON SUNDAY FROM CAIRO EGYPT AFTER TAKING PART IN THE AFRICAN VOLLEYBALL WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS HELD IN THAT COUNTRY.
ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NIGERIA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION PATRICK ABOBI,THE NIGERIAN VOLLEYBALL TEAM FAILED TO MAKE IT TO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER PLACING NINTH OVERALL IN THE QUALIFIERS.THE NIGERIAN TEAM EVEN FAILED TO MAKE IT TO THE QUARTERFINALS.

SWIMMING

A NEW DATE HAS BEEN FIXED FOR THE CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF OPEN SWIMMING COMPETITION.THE COMPETITION WHICH HAS BEEN POSTPONED BEFORE WILL NOW COME UP FROM THE 8TH TO 11TH OF JUNE AT THE ILORIN TOWNSHIP STADIUM SWIMMING POOL .THE PRESIDENT OF THE SWIMMING FEDERATION OF NIGERIA,MR BABATUNDE FATAI WILLIAMS SAID THAT COMPETITION WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BETWEEN MAY 2ND TO MAY 8TH WAS MOVED TO JUNE BECAUSE OF THE MAY 29 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION BILLED FOR ABUJA.THE SWIMMING COMPETITION WILL HAVE 14 SWIMMERS FROM THE 36 STATES AND ABUJA TAKING PART.HE STATED FURTHER THAT CASH REWARD WOULD BE GIVEN TO SWIMMERS WHO EXCEL AT THE TOURNAMENT.MEANWHILE THE FEDERATION HAS CONCLUDED PLANS TO INVITE 7 SWIMMERS  TO REPRESENT NIGERIA AT THE AFRICA ZONE 2 SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL COME UP IN DAKAR SENEGAL FROM THE 20TH TO 22ND OF THIS MONTH.

GOLF

ABOUT 200 AMATEUR GOLFERS WILL CONVERGE ON THE IKOYI GOLF COURSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONE DAY BAYWOOD GOLF TOURNAMENT.THE TOURNAMENT WHICH IS BILLED TO COME ON THE 4TH OF JUNE WILL TEE OFF AT 6.30 AM WITH THE GOLFERS GOING THROUGH THE 18 HOLE COURSE TO FIGHT FOR POINTS.
SPONSOR OF THE TOURNAMENT CHRIS BAYWOOD IBE SAID THAT HE CHOSE TO USE GOLF TO IMPACT POSITIVELY ON NIGERIA.
SIXTEEN TROPHIES,VARIOUS GIFT ITEMS WILL BE PRESENTED TO GOLFERS WHO EXCEL AT THE TOURNAMENT.A SIDE ATTRACTION OF THE TOURNAMENT IS BRAND NEW GOLF FOR THE HOLE IN ONE SCORE POINT.