WHEELCHAIR TENNIS

Nigeria’s growing reputation in global wheelchair tennis has suffered a huge dent following the country’s withdrawal from the BNP Paribas World Team Cup which served off Monday at the Nieuwe Sloot Tennis Centre in Alphen, Netherlands. The World Team Cup is wheelchair tennis version of the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup.

Nigeria won the African qualifiers held in March in Kenya by beating Morocco and there was widespread optimism that the country could grab a promotion to the World Group I following the rapid improvement of the game in the country which was highlighted by the nation’s participation at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the 2012 Olympics in London which makes the development a major setback for the game in the country.

The triumph in Kenya was the third in a row for the country’s men team which makes them Africa’s top-ranked nation but the gap between them and their nearest rivals, Morocco will get closer at the end of the tournament due to their unexpected absence.

Nigeria’s place was occupied by Romania following Sunday evening’s draw which has Canada and Italy in Pool 4.

At the finals of the CBN championship which served as the last phase of preparations for the 31-nation tournament featuring 52 teams, some of the players had complained about lack of motivation but promised to make a mark in the tournament as a way of securing sponsorships and also getting more domestic tournaments.

Aside the CBN, the only regular tournament the players have is the New Era Tournament, bankrolled by the foundation of Senator Oluremi Tinubu but was last held in 2010.

BADMINTON

United States, France and 13 others have confirmed their participation in the Lagos International Badminton Classics scheduled to hold on June 4 to 7 at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park.

  The tournament has also been sanctioned and listed by the world badminton ruling body - Badminton Word Federation (BWF) has an International Challenge with prize money of $15,000.

   As the highest category of championship ever hosted by any African country, the Confederation of Africa Badminton has also backed the tournament, as its attendance is also the highest for any badminton international championship in Africa.

  Among the 15 nations already confirmed for the competition, five African nations made up of Botswana, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana and host – Nigeria will join teams from Europe and America.

  France will lead the teams from Europe, while others are, Austria, Italy, Israel, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. The remaining countries are Canada, United States, India and New Zealand.

   Four events - men's single, women's single, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles will be competed for at the championship.

  The participants are expected to arrive Nigeria on June 3.

  According to the chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), Lagos Sports Classics, Wahid Oshodi, the staging of the tournament has continued to attract top players to Lagos and Nigeria and this has confirmed the potential that are abound in sports in Nigeria.

  “Again, the badminton classics has brought international attention to Nigeria especially with the quality of teams that had already confirmed their participation. We hope to raise the standard and ensure that our visitors enjoy the warm and hospitality of the Centre of Excellence. We have raised the standard and we hope to continue to improve on our organization as we welcome some of the world’s best to Lagos next month,” he said.

  For the Chairman, Lagos State Badminton Association, Francis Orbih, the championship would afford Nigerian players to test might with some of these top players.

  “We are happy with this development and we hope that this will surely help our players to improve themselves. We hoping that this competition will also to increase more awareness about badminton in the country,” Orbih said.

  

 

PRIVATE INITIATIVE FOR TAEKWANDO

Beijing Olympics bronze medalist, Chika Chukwumerije, has called on the private sector to financially support taekwondo in discovering, engaging, encouraging and exposing upcoming athletes.

 Speaking on the backdrop of the three bronze medals won by the five-man team that Nigeria at the Africa Senior Taekwondo Championships, held in Tunis, Tunisia a fortnight ago, Chukwumerije lauded the support the team got from Abuja-based Zuma Energy Nigeria Limited for taking the initiative to throw its weight behind the team to the tournament.

  Members of the team included current African Games Gold Medallists, Uche Perez Chukwumerije and Jamilu Mohammed, three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, African medallists Sunday Onofe and Joy Ekhator.

  “The trip would not have been possible without the timely support of Zuma Energy and our other sponsors who would like to remain anonymous, so I am thankful to the Executive Chairman, Innocent Ezuma, who responded to the reach-out by my Foundation to the private sector for support”

   Undefeated Nationally for the past six years, two-time All African Games Medallist, Miss Joy Ekhator, who won a Bronze Medal at the tournament commended CCSF for pushing the initiative to source funds for the trip, and thanked Zuma Energy Nigeria Ltd for being one of the co-sponsors of the trip. “

  “Without the efforts made, I would not have been able to come here and gain ranking points. I train very hard every day, but it is still difficult to go and compete against opponents that compete week in week out”

  Current Defending All African Games Champion, Jamilu Muhammad, who crashed out in the Quarterfinals was more direct, “No Money, No Medals”. I have not competed internationally since the last All African Games, even though I am constantly training, thus I was a bit match rusty.

  The Kano-state born Taekwondoist enthusiast further reflected, “I am Number 46 in the world, and I sometimes wonder what my ranking would be if I could compete more? I am grateful that I competed at this event. It has enabled me see the opposition for next year’s All African Games, and I would use the experience gained to teach other young Taekwondo upcoming athletes when I get back to Kano”.

  Pointing at a good example laid, the CCSF Boss, Chika Chukwumerije, urged the private sector to take the cue of Zuma Energy Ltd in providing the kind of sustained support that would “give life to the real dreams of millions of Nigerian Sportsmen and Women across the country, especially when they have clear operational plans and genuine medal-winning possibilities in the foreseeable future”.

  “Athletes are very visible, and can serve, not only as a source of inspiration to our future generation, but also as a deep spring of pride for the Nation. They deserve to be supported by the business community”

  “The recent performances of Okagbare recently, the victories of the Super Eagles at the last Nation’s Cup, the last U-17 World Cup winners, and the exploits of our weightlifter Usman at the last Commonwealth are some examples of sporting feats that provide hope to young people, and bring smiles to millions of Nigerians”

  Chukwumerije urged the private sector to invest in communities in which they operate all over Nigeria, as “investing now would give Nigeria an edge in the Commonwealth this year, All African Games next year and at the RIO 2016 Olympics”

  “Everybody loves a winner, and companies can leverage on potential Olympic Gold Medals to be won by Nigeria’s talented athletes by investing in their training and exposure now.”

 

 

 

IBILE GAMES

Lagos State Volleyball Association (LSVA) has assured that majority of secondary schools players featuring at the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014 will be invited to camp ahead of the forthcoming DAWN Games scheduled to begin on May 16.

  Technical Director, Suraj Olajide Olatuga told reporters on Monday that it has been a long time he has seen young volleyball players displaying tactical volleyball skills to the admiration of the association's technical team, adding that the performance of the players have shown that volleyball has improved following the players' second liner attack and floating service which are the most effective services in the sport.

  Olatuga noted that the initiative behind the Lagos State Adopt- A-Talent Sport Programme has yielded positive result in the building of future Volleyball players for Lagos.

  According to him, Lagos will be a team to beat in the volleyball event at the DAWN Games, a competition for Secondary schools in the Southwest of the country.

  "We are having a total of 18 secondary schools of eleven boys schools and seven girls schools competing in the Volleyball event of Ibile Games.

  In some of the games played on Monday at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, International School Lagos (ISL) defeated New Era Girls’ High School, 2- 0, while Rockford Secondary School defeated Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja, 2- 0 in the girls’ category.

  United Christian Secondary School defeated Habibat Mogaji Secondary School, 2- 0 in the boys’ event.

  The game is played on round robin format as the participating schools were paired in two groups of five teams in the boys’ event, while their girls counterparts were drawn in two groups of four teams.   

  The best two teams will qualify for the semi final holding on Tuesday, while finals are fixed for Wednesday.

  Meanwhile, former Lagos State number one female table tennis player, Fatimo Bello, has expressed her happiness that she was able to use ongoing Ibile Games to prove that she is still a force to reckon with in the game.

  Bello who was sanctioned by Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) was recently left off the hook placed on her since 2012.

  Bello, a left-hand player, who represented Itire Ikate LCDA, won the women’s singles after she defeated Alimot Ayinla of Lagos Mainland Local Government by four straight set of 11-8, 11-6, 12-10, 11-3, in the final decided at the knock-up hall of the National stadium, Surulere.

  To reach the final, Bello, who was part of the Lagos State table tennis team that went on a training tour of Asia, prior to the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged EKO 2012 Games, beat, Sidi Yaya of Lagos Island West LCDA in the semi final clash.

  "Many are thinking that with the ban placed on me, I won't be on top of my game at the sports festival, but I'm glad that my critics were proved wrong with the gold medal I won now. I'm so happy and thank God," she said.

TABLE TENNIS

Nigeria’s quest for promotion to the championship suffered a setback at the 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championship when the Segun Toriola loss narrowly to England in the quarterfinal stage to settle for the seventh place in division two.

  From the performance of the team in Tokyo, Japan, it was obvious that this is the outstanding outing for the team in the championship while the encounter against England has also put the team in good frame for the 2014 Commonwealth Games holding in Glasgow, Scotland in July this year.

  England most times dominate Nigeria in most of their meeting, but with what transpired in Tokyo at the weekend, Nigeria is returning to its fine form with the excellent performance in Japan by the quartet of Toriola, Aruna Quadri, Ojo Onaolapo and Kazeem Makanjuola.

  Having come through from the group to beat Turkey in the knockout stage, the team started the match against England on a good note when Quadri, who finished 16 at the 2014 Spanish Open beat the Paul Drinkhall 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead. Drinkhall won the Spanish Open few weeks ago in the city of Almeria in Spain but against Quadri he was beaten black and blue.

  Toriola increased the lead when he fought well to beat Liam Pitchford 10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6.

  But the turning point for the English side was against Onaolapo who was beaten 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 by Daniel Reed. This put the overall result at 2-1 with Nigeria leading.

  The win against Onaolapo brought out the best in the British players who went to win their next two matches against Quadri and Toriola.

  In the fourth game, Pitchford avenged Drinkhall loss to Quadri when he overwhelmed Quadri 5-11, 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, while Drinkhall rounded up the game with 6-11, 11-9, 5-11, 9-11 win over Toriola to put the overall result at 3-2.

  However, England captain, Drinkhall admitted that the encounter against the Nigerians remained the most difficult game for them in the tournament.

“We’re really happy to have come through, we had a difficult start to the match with me losing the first match. I think if I would have won that, we might have won 3-0; this was the first real test for our team and I am happy we made it through. I think we can take this match as positive,” Drinkhall admitted.

  Also, table tennis buffs lauded the Nigerians for giving a good account of themselves against England as well as their overall performance in the competition.

  “I never expect much from the Nigerians but since the start of the tournament, they have proved to be a good team especially with what they played against England. I think they are a good side and they just need to continue in the fine form to get back to the elite division. I wish them well,” said Japan’s Ishikawa Juan.

  Meanwhile, the Nigerian female team also gave a good account of themselves in the classification match to avoid relegation with win over Peru, Turkey and Israel. The wins ensured that the team remains in division two for the next edition of the competition holding in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2016.

  The performance of Nigeria will surely improve their world rating when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) released the next world ranking after the championship.

DAWN GAMES

Chairman of Media and Publicity Subcommittee of the DAWN Games, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, has said that the tournament would help foster good relationship among the youth of the south-west states of the country.

  The maiden edition of the DAWN Games, a competition among secondary schools in Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States, will be held in Lagos from May 16 to 24, 2014.

  The chairman of the Media Subcommittee, who is also the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State said the competition would bring youth in the region together to compete in a healthy environment, adding that the DAWN Games is symbolic because the south-west states want to show the rest of the country the cordial relationship that exists within the people and governments of the region and the need to use youth and sports to preach unity among the people.

  Meanwhile, as the kick off date of the Games draws nearer, Team Ogun say they can't wait for the school sports championship to start.

  Director of Sports, Ogun State Sports Council, Mr. Adesola Faleti, said the state's athletes are ready and are in good sporting form to excel at the

competition.

  "The athletes have been training for a couple of months. We are going to participate in 12 sports events and in Ogun State, we specialise in more than 33 sports, thus taking 12 out of 33 won’t be a problem for us," said Faleti during the inspection of facilities and venues for the championship which took place recently in Lagos.

  Faleti noted that the Games would enable Ogun State Sports Council to assess its grassroots developmental programmes which has been well supported by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, and more importantly it would assist the sports council the opportunity to replace its ageing athletes.

''Since inception of Governor Amosun’s administration, we had been mandated to develop sports at the grassroots. I think the DAWN Games will definitely assist us to discover budding talent to replace the older athletes,” he said.

The former national pugilist said the state's effective grassroots sports programme had earned Ogun a positive result as the National Sports Commission, NSC, invited over 22 athletes from the state to the national team, while six junior football players were also invited to the camp of the national U-13 team.

"DAWN Games can bring positive and better future for the nation as athletes we will discover in the regional championship can be selected for the country’s future international outings.

“I believe the DAWN Games is another opportunity to explain the commitment of the southwest state governments towards building Nigerian future stars who would take over from the ageing national athletes. The DAWN Games is the needed grassroots developmental programme which we can use to aid the growth of sports and the   wellbeing  of our athletes,” he said.

He concluded that Ogun State Sports Council is working with the support of the Ministry of Education to place athletes that will excel in the DAWN Games on scholarship for them to continue their education.

The DAWN Games will feature 12 sports, which are athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, scrabble, swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo and volleyball with over 2000 athletes and officials expected to participate.

  The events will take place at Rowe Park Sports Complex, Yaba, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and Agege Stadium. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Camp in Iyana-Ipaja will serve as the Games Village.

IBILE GAMES

Team Lagos Island West Local Government have made their intention of winning the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games 2014 known with their outstanding performance in most events as the tourney enters day six on Monday.

  Athletes from Lagos Island West are leading the medal table as at Sunday morning with 87 medals.

  They have won 43 gold, 18 silver and 26 bronze medals so far, followed by Surulere with 10 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze, while Team Itire Ikate LCDA are third with 5 gold, 6 silver and 16 bronze. Ibeju Lekki are in the fourth position with 4 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze, while Coker Aguda are fifth with 2 gold, 2 silver and 6 bronze medals.

  The Junior Category for secondary school athletes is not different as schools within Lagos Island West are leading.

  The Boys' Singles Tennis final decided at the weekend at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba was won by Martins Abamu of P&P Comprehensive College.

  Abamu beat Stephen Augustine of Lafiaji Junior School, while Michael Osewa of Brain Point Branded Schools and Michael Ayoola of Ebute Elefun Senior High School won bronze medals respectively.

  In Girls Singles, Oyinlomo Quadri of Maryanne College won gold, Marylove Edwards of Efuntunde Nursery/Primary School settled for silver medal, while Venus Ubiebi of Unique Breed College and Adebayo Ajibola of Eletu Odibo Senior High School won bronze medals.   In the Boys’ Doubles, the duo of Michael Osewa of Brainpoint Branded School and Michael Ayoola of Ebute Elefun Senior High School won gold, while gold medal of the Girls’ Doubles event was won by the duo of Oyinlomo Quadri of Maryanne College and Marylove Edwards of Efuntunde Nursery/Primary School.

  In Gymnastic, Lagos Island West won the event with 8 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze medals. Itire -Ikate came second with 2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals, while Coker Aguda came third with 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.   Lagos Island West swept the medals in Weightlifting with 27 gold, 15silver and 12 bronze medals.

  Meanwhile, boxers who had been busy undergoing medicals and weigh in at the weekend will start their trade on Monday at the Jalisco Sports Centre at Oshodi.

  This event will be competed in both junior and senior categories.

  Other events that will start on Monday include Handball, Kung-Fu and Badminton at the Rowe Park, Yaba. Cricket at TBS Oval, Onikan and Jubril Grammar, Iponri

IBILE GAMES.

Lagos Island West and East Local Government Councils ensured that they won the two gold medals at stake in both the male and female categories of Ayo in the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014.

  In the finals played at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Ibe Patricia of Lagos Island East beat Atinuke Mohammed of Itire Ikate LCDA to win the gold medal in the female event, while the duo of Omidiji Bosede of Lagos Island West and Kemi Aiyegbusi of Osodi Isolo won bronze medals.

  In the male category, Akanbi Rasheed of Lagos Island West won gold medal, Seun Aiyedun of Iru Victoria Island LCDA settled for silver, while the pair of Idowu Ademola of Itire Ikate LCDA and Kehinde Amaechi of Osodi Isolo won bronze medals.

  In some of the results of basketball event decided Thursday, in the Senior Category, Lagos Mainland beat Yaba LCDA 24-22 points in the group match of the boys' category, while Yaba in their second game defeated Odi-Olowo 27-23 points. Ikoyi Obalende lost to Ojokoro 34-32 points, while Bariga beat Ikorodu North 41-08 points.

  In the female junior basketball event competed for by schools, Foucus College beat Victoria College 2-1, Shomolu Secondary School lost to Aiyetoro Grammar School 0-25, while Wesley College defeated Ilupeju Grammar School, 11-2. In the boys' event, Muslim Grammar School lost to Victoria College 20-29, while Ifesowapo High School beat Eletu Odibo Senior High School 8-6.

  Day three of Ibile Games (Friday) will see finals of some events such as Weighlifting and Gymnastics taking place at the Rowe Park, Yaba Meanwhile, Number one seed in the Secondary School category of the Squash event of Ibile Games has commended the Lagos State Government for organising a grassroots based competition that will pave way for young Squash players to exhibit their skills.

  Adegoke, 16, who is in Senior Secondary School, 3, of Lagos City College, Yaba, said the Ibile Games was an avenue for the state junior Squash players to acquire skills and also develop their interest in the game, stressing that the tourney has brought healthy rivalry among Squash players featuring in the Games.   

  According to him, the Games has put Lagos State in a vantage position to record outstanding performance in any organised youth Games in the country, adding that the competition has shown that the State has a pool of talented young squash players

  "There is no doubt Lagos State will be able to use Ibile Games to prepare its athletes for the forthcoming DAWN which will hold from 16-24. Apart from Squash, we'll be able to present a formidable team for the southwest Games," said Adegoke

 

TABLE TENNIS

In their usual style, Nigeria showed its supremacy over Canada in the
last group match of Group E of the ongoing World Team Table Tennis
Championship holding in Tokyo, Japan.
  In most of their meeting in major competitions, Nigeria have always
dominated Canada and again in Tokyo on Thursday, the Segun Toriola-led
male team overcame the Canadians 3-1 to finish second behind Czech
Republic in the group.
  Despite Toriola’s 13-15, 8-11, 6-11, loss to Canada’s Andre Ho in
the first game, rave of the moment Aruna Quadri put the match at par
when he beat Theriault Pierre-Luc 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10.
  Ojo Onaolapo increased the lead with another 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6
win over Vincent Rousseau-Emond. To compete the 3-1 victory over the
Canadians, Toriola was made to work hard in his bid to beat Pierre-Luc
8-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.
  Also on Thursday, Czech Republic maintained their 100 per cent record
in the group with a 3-0 bashing of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  The Czechs won all their five matches to top the group ahead of
Nigeria, which won four of the five matches to play second fiddle to the
European.
  Nigeria male team is still in the race for promotion, as the knockout
stage of the division two will hold on Friday.
  Meanwhile, the female team will be fighting to remain in the division
two after losing its fourth game to Turkey on Thursday.
  The team inspired by Funke Oshonaike will have to redouble its efforts
in the classification matches that will decide the teams that are
expected to remain in division two.

SQUASH

Following the success of the Lagos International Squash Classics, the Professional Squash Association (PSA) has listed the tournament as one of its 2014 World Tours.

   According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PSA, Alex Gough, the last major tournament hosted by Nigeria was in 2008 and the return of the tour to Lagos would lure a lot of top class players to the competition.

  "It is fantastic to see high level international competition returning to Nigeria and the enthusiasm and passion for the sport which is so evident among the tournament organisers is great to see," said Gough.

  The tournament tagged 2014 Lagos International Squash Classic is a PSA International 25, which is one the highest levels for the fourth quarter of the year in the PSA calendar.

  The last PSA World Tour event to be held in Nigeria was the 2008 Africa Open won by current SquashTV presenter, Joey Barrington.

  According to the Chairman, Lagos State Squash Association, Sanya Akindele, hosting the tournament would indeed improve the fortune of the game. "We're delighted to be working together with the PSA to see top class squash return to the country and to see some of the biggest names in squash coming to Nigeria,” he said.

  Akindele added: “We are very excited to be hosting the Lagos International Squash Classic in 2014 and we are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting week of competition and I hope that it will help boost the popularity of the sport within Nigeria."

  For the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Lagos Sports Classics, Wahid Oshodi, this is an indication that the Classics has grown in international status in its first year.

  “We are thrilled that the classics is getting more recognition and this was made possible following the enormous support we got and we are still getting from the sports loving Governor of Lagos and we hope that this competition will continue to improve each year. We are hoping that this year will be bigger and better in terms of organization,” Oshodi said