Other Sports
Haniel Hadison Dominates Again at Cargolux Squash Tournament
The 13th annual Cargolux Merchant Express Squash Tournament, which served off two weeks ago at the Squash Section of the Lagos Country
Club, Ikeja, came to an exciting end on Saturday with Haniel Hadison of Lagos Country Club dominating once again.
The defending champion, Hadison, who has won the tournament seven times in the past, brushed aside stiff opposition from last year’s runner-up Dele Obasuyi of Benin Club 3-1 to cart home the top prize at stake in the Men’s Open category.
Hadison was in his elements throughout the event as he also defended his title in the Closed Men’s category, beating Bunmi Akpata in the final. Mike Adegoke emerged champions in the veteran’s closed category after seeing off the challenge of Deji Sule in the final.
Speaking after the game, a highly elated Hadison, who revealed his regret at not becoming a professional Squash player, said Squash is viewed as an elite sport and urged the Nigeria Squash Racket Federation to focus their attention on the grassroots development of the game so as to attract the younger generation.
“I’m happy I defended my trophy, I’ve won a few editions now and credit goes to the almighty God,” Hadison began. “I started playing much younger, from age group, U16, U19 and then stopped there.
“I was once the U19 national champion but I couldn’t go further to the professional level due to the job I got. Squash is the only thing I know how to do best but it’s too late for me now to go professional.
“Squash is seen as an elite sport but now people like me are changing
that perspective. My advice to the federation is to go back to the
grassroots, Secondary Schools and create awareness. We also need the
media to help us to project this sport,” he concluded.
In other games, Mike Nwabuzor of Ikoyi Club beat Layo Olupitan to scoop the prize in the Veteran’s Open category; Busayo Olatunji of Lagos Country Club defeated Faidat Saliu of Kwara Club to win the U19 female category, while Adegoke Onaopemipo beat his fellow Lagosian Ayomide Oladipupo to win the U19 male category.
At the end of the event, Chairman/CEO Cargolux Merchant Express, Captain Shina Akinfeyiwa, assured their readiness to continue bankrolling the competition, while the Chairman, Squash section of Lagos Country Club, Arch. Funmi Bamkole praised the sponsors for their effort and commitment in sustaining the game for the past 13 years.
The president of Lagos country club Tajudeen Adegboyega Akande, while
presenting Captain Akinfenwa with a meritorious award, thanked him for
his support for Squash development in Nigeria which he said is unparalleled.
He said: Thank you for supporting this event. In this period of recession, sponsoring an event of this magnitude is no mean feat, it is a demonstration of your commitment and love for sports.”
Sixteen clubs, including seven from outside Lagos participated in this
year’s edition of the tournament, with winners in different categories
awarded trophies, medals, cash and other exciting prizes like washing
machines, home theatres etc.
Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has unveiled a full-size stadium and an Olympic-size 50-metre swimming pool at the Peaceville International Academy, located within the Redemption City of God, Ogun State.
The esteemed cleric was accompanied by his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye, along with top church leaders including Pastor Joseph Obayemi; RCCG National Overseer, Pastor Sunday Akande, and the management of Peaceville International Academy led by Head of School Dolapo Fatoki.
The event was graced by several board members of the school, including Leke Adeoye, Olugbenga Omojola, Ayoola Jolayemi, Noah Osato, and Mrs Busola Ogunsiji.
Reflecting on his past, Pastor Adeboye lamented the lack of such facilities during his university days and the general scarcity of quality sports amenities across the country.
“This kind of well-grassed stadium and serene environment were not available in universities during our time. Remarkably, God has made this possible in a secondary school, showing that He is on our side,” he remarked.
He offered prayers for those who contributed to the realization of these facilities and expressed his vision for the school to become a global brand.
In her welcome address, Pastor Mrs. Adeboye, the founder of the college, described the institution as a legacy made possible by God’s support.
She thanked her husband for his unwavering support in making the school a reality and emphasized the importance of the sports facilities in moulding Godly champions.
The unveiling ceremony also featured a novelty match to celebrate Pastor Adeboye’s 83rd birthday, with him performing the ceremonial kick-off for the match between Redemption City FC and Region 1 FC. The home team triumphed with a 4-0 victory.
Head of School Dolapo Fatoki highlighted that the facilities would be judiciously used to enhance the physical well-being of students and position the school as a hub for sports development in Ogun State and Nigeria.
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Championship promotion chasers Burnley clocked up 1,000 minutes without conceding a league goal as they drew 0-0 at Preston North End on Saturday to stay third in the table.
It was Burnley’s 24th Championship clean sheet of the season and their 11th in a row — a new English second-tier record.
In 33 Championship games their miserly defence has been breached only nine times and no opposition player has scored against them in the league since Dec. 21.
Burnley keeper James Trafford has faced only 21 shots on target in achieving his 11 successive clean sheets — including two penalties which he saved against Sunderland.
Scott Parker’s side need just one more clean sheet to match the Championship record of Queen’s Park Rangers in 2010-11.
“It’s something we pride ourselves on. We’re proud of being hard to beat and if you can’t win games, don’t lose them,” Burnley midfielder Josh Cullen told the club’s website.
“We come away with a point thanks to that defensive record and being solid again here at a tough place.”
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A UK-based sports recycling charity, Lord’s Taverners has donated sports kits and equipment worth over 30 million naira to the CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative.
The donated kits and equipment weighed 998 kilograms. It is not the first time such a donation was made.
It would be recalled that since 2019, this is the fifth batch of sports kit donations that Lord’s Taverners have donated to CSED Initiative.
In total, CSED Initiative has received sports kits weighing over three thousand kilogrammes from Lord’s Taverners.
Most of this batch of donated sports kit items are for cricket, netball, badminton, football, casual sportswear and tracksuits.
Some of the prominent institutions that have benefitted from the kits that were donated by Lord’s Taverners in the past are Edo State Cricket Association, the cricket team of ABU Zaria, the cricket team of IDPs Uhogua, Cameroonian refugees in Ogoja (Cross River State).
Furthermore, some selected schools in Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Taraba States have benefitted from the free cricket kits that were donated by Lord’s Taverners to CSED Initiative.
In a recent email correspondence between a Trustee of CSED Initiative, a Project Manager of Lord’s Taverners, a representative of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) acknowledged the role the kits that Lord’s Taverners donated to CSED Initiative played in the development of some of the cricketers who recently played in the Nigerian female cricket team at the recently completed T20, U-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia.
Nine out of these fifteen cricketers are players from Edo State whose cricket Association received 250 kilogrammes of donated cricket kits from CSED Initiative in April 2019.
Furthermore, CSED has also donated cricket items to a cricket project that has supported the development of the two cricketers from Akwa Ibom State who featured for Nigeria in the Malaysian tournament.
During an interview with sports reporters, a representative of CSED Initiative stated that the new batch of donated equipment from Lord’s Taverners will enable them to empower three thousand children and youths in respect of supporting some of their basic sports kit needs. The donated kits will enable CSED Initiative to train three hundred P.E. Teachers in 2025. “So, it is going to be a win-win situation for grassroots sports.”
However, CSED Initiative have been informed that the Lord’s Taverners sports kits recycling project is going to close in March 2025, as a result of financial constraint. The National Coordinator of CSED Initiative stated that this news was a huge shock to them, and the sports recycling community all over the world.
Lord’s Taverners has a global base of sports for change NGOs that they have supported in the past few decades. Though Lord’s Taverners was mainly set up as a cricket charity, it has over the years supported other sports at the grassroots level.
“We in CSED Initiative will forever remain grateful for the support we have received from Lord’s Taverners. Especially in respect of the sport of netball.
They have supported us with balls, bibs, netball jerseys, T-shirts and skirts.
These donated netball kits gave us the courage to strive to revive the game of netball in Nigeria through our ongoing: “Project 2027” drive where we have trained and equipped more than three hundred and seventy P.E. Teachers and community leaders.”
While receiving the donated items in their Niger Delta base, the National Coordinator of CSED Initiative assured Dave Pemberton (Project Manager of Lord’s Taverners) that the sports kits will be distributed for free to selected schools and vulnerable community groups (IDPs and asylum seekers/refugees) they currently work with, as well as new sets of schools and communities who will be expected to put the donated kit into good use.
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