Athletics
BOLT: I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY FOOTBALL NOW
It is an open secret that Jamaican former sprinter, Usain Bolt is passionate about football apart from being an iconic athlete. The website of football governing body, fifa.com describes him as quite simply, the best sprinter of all time.
Of course, his medal-haul at the Olympic Games speak volume. With two gold medals in 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, followed by a hat-trick of gold medals at each of London 2012 and Rio 2016 (adding the 4 x 100 metres relay sprint gold at both events) the Jamaican had unprecedented success in his discipline for around a decade.
The athletics legend made a slightly left-field promise during his track and field career: that he would take up football after hanging up his sprinting cleats. Having recently retired from the sport which he conquered, FIFA.com caught up with Bolt in an exclusive interview to discuss his love of football, his picks for this year’s The Best FIFA Football Awards, and what it takes to be the best.
FIFA.com: You were 11 years old when Jamaica played at their only FIFA World Cup to date, at France 1998. How much of that do you remember? Does anything notable stand out from that tournament?
Usain Bolt: I can never forget when we qualified for the World Cup as our Prime Minster declared a national holiday. I remember our first goal at the World Cup too, Robbie Earle with that header against Croatia. Then in the final game Theodore Whitmore scored twice in the win against Japan.
Now you’ve retired from sprinting, will you look to get involved in football at some level? If so, how?
Yes, I would love to play football now I’ve retired from track and field. I’ve been talking about it in interviews and a lot of clubs have reached out. Unfortunately, I got a bad hamstring injury in August and haven’t been able to do any training since then. Hopefully I will be able to play some games in 2018.
Did you ever play football with other athletes when training or in camp?
I play a lot in Jamaica over the winter. It wasn’t something that my coach liked but fortunately I didn’t get any injuries playing football that interrupted my athletics training.
Footballers around the globe have to vote for a World11 from the past season (2016/17). What would be your World11 for 2016/17, and why?
There are so many great players, it’s not an easy team to pick! Obviously I’d have Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar leading the attack. I’ll put Gigi Buffon in goal. In defence I’ll go for Sergio Ramos and Leonardo Bonucci in the middle with Marcelo and Dani Alves as full backs. In midfield: Paul Pogba, Ngolo Kante and Philippe Coutinho.
The top three for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award are Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar – who’s your pick for number one and why?
I would go for Ronaldo. All three are amazing players but in the last year Cristiano won La Liga, the Champions League again and finished top scorer for the fifth season. His ability to stay at the top year after year is very impressive.
The three candidates for the Mens’ Coach award are Massimiliano Allegri, Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane. If you were a player, which of the three would you want to be coached by and why?
I would love to play for Zidane. I really admired him as a player and he has made the transition to coach very well. He’s won five major trophies in five tournaments.
There’s an award for The Best FIFA Goalkeeper this year. Who do you think is the best keeper in the world at the moment and why?
Gianluigi Buffon. He’s almost 40 years old but very difficult to score against. Good goalkeepers give the players in front of them confidence and nobody would have a problem playing in front of Buffon. I met him recently at an event and he sent me a nice message when I retired.
The FIFA Puskás Award rewards the best goal of 2016/17. Which of the finalists would get your vote and why?
I’d vote for Oscarine Masuluke. For a goalkeeper to score an overhead kick in stoppage time like that is impressive.
Who would you choose between Deyna Castellanos, Carli Lloyd and Lieke Martens for the Women’s Player award and why?
My vote would go to Lieke Martens. She led Holland to that European Championship win and was Player of the Tournament.
What makes London such a special city, and what does it mean to you?
I’ve been coming to London every year for the past 15 years. It’s become like my second home as I normally base myself in the city during the track and field season. There are a lot of Jamaicans living in London and I always get great support when I race there.
As you can tell from the names of the awards, FIFA are looking to recognise ‘The Best’. From someone who has risen to the top of their profession – can you give some insight into what it takes to be the best, and the sacrifices it takes to get there?
It takes talent, discipline, dedication and hard work. I believe that everyone who is considered one of the best has worked extremely hard to get there. To be successful at the highest level there are sacrifices you have to make in terms of parties, friends and getting rest.
If you were to give advice to any young boy or girl who is determined to be the best in the world at their chosen sport, be that football, sprinting or another sport, what would it be?
Choose the right people to have around you and advise you, be determined, work hard, believe in yourself, success doesn’t always come overnight so be consistent and the results will come. I have a motto: ‘Anything is possible’.
Athletics
Kenyans and Ethiopians dominate the half marathon at ECOWAS Marathon, Nigerians win 5 km race
Kenya Harrison Muchira Wanjiru won the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon half-marathon on Saturday in 1 hour 04.39; on his heels was another Kenyan, Adam Sulaiman Muhamad, who was second in 1.05.27, and a Nigerian Francis James Musa came third in 1.05.51.
If Kenyans dominated the men’s race, the women’s race was dominated by Ethiopians. Lydia Natiyaka Wamalawa of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 1 hour 15.3, Aberash Minsewo, another Ethiopian, was second in 1.17.14, and like in the men’s race, a Nigerian Patience Dalyop was third in 1.21.15.
Nigerian runners dominated the 5 km race, they also won most of the prizes reserved for ECOWAS citizens.
Each one for his reason, thousands of runners pounded the streets of Abuja on Saturday as the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon flags off at the ECOWAS Commission Yakubu Gowon Way, a little after 8.00 am, while the 5 km race started shortly after.
For the elite runners that participated in the 21-kilometer race of Africa’s most lucrative half-marathon, the focus was on the $ 10,000 prize money for the top finisher.
Ditto for the top runners in the 5km race whose sights were also fixed on the prize money for the top five finishers.
For former presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore, a constant face in marathons and road races in Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon was another medium to carry his message of justice for humanity to every part of the world.
Sowore did not run alone; he ran with the #Run with Sowore Group and other members of his Lazy Man Athletics Club.
However, the majority of runners like Blessing Mozie participated because running has become a way of life.
A staff member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, she ran on Saturday because running has become a part and parcel of Lagos-born Mozie’s life.
Before moving to Abuja, Mozie participated in several editions of the Lagos City Marathon, running the full marathon, but she ran the 5 km on Saturday because she is not used to the Abuja roads.
”I was born in Lagos, I grew up there, so I am familiar with the route, but I am not too familiar with the Abuja routes. Maybe in future, I will run the half marathon and the full marathon in Abuja.
“I think running is something everybody should do because of its immense health benefits.
“For me, running is not a fashion statement but a way of life because it is good for the body generally, and I am encouraging everybody to embrace the culture of running; the benefits are immeasurable.
An estimated 5,000 Nigerian and international runners battled for $71,000 prize money on Saturday.
The men’s and women’s winners of the 21 km half-marathon race won $10,000.
Also, all the first 200 runners to cross the line received bronze medals to show they had participated.
The Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani noted that the event was part of activities to commemorate ECOWAS at 50.
Njoaguani stated that the initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
He noted that the future goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
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Nigeria’s foremost marathon and road race club, the High Altitude Athletics Club of Jos, Plateau State, is sending a strong field of elite runners to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, which will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Stephen Nuhu, the club manager and coach, disclosed that over 30 runners have arrived in Abuja for Saturday’s race.
The runners who will compete in the half marathon include Sati Musa Bala, Mathias Nenfort Gofwen, Mandela Banki, Geofrey Koptin Gomam, John Dauda, Elisha Friday, Shaba Dare Eniola, Yohanna Friday, Gwet Tokbe Christopher, Shambor Blessing Solomon, Agofure Charity, Akusho Lydia Thomas, Danjuma Agnes, and Mathew Nancy.
Nuhu also disclosed that his club aim to win the men’s and women’s titles and also the 5km family race,
“We have some very good young runners who have what it takes to win the 5km, our challenge is the 21km race. We are determined to beat the teams from other ECOWAS nations, especially Ghana, Senegal and others who we are reliably informed are sending a strong team”
Nuhu commended the ECOWAS Commission for increasing the prize money and prompt payment,
“When it comes to prompt payment of prize money, ECOWAS Commission is number one, they will never tell you stories, you get your money once technical officials have certified you as the winner.”
Elsewhere, the Ghanaian Athletics Association and the Ghana Army are also sending strong teams to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The Ghana team expressed readiness to storm Abuja with 20 men and women runners with the sole aim of winning some prizes in the men’s and women’s categories.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Okon, the Race Director, has urged registered runners to collect the running number, vest, certificate, participants’ guide and others at the VIO Office, Federal Secretariat Car Park, Eagles Square, Abuja,
“We are there from 9 am to 5 pm daily, registered runners and those that intend to register are welcome, they can fill out the form free and collect their kits immediately”.
Okon warned that there won’t be registration and collection of kits on race day.
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Athletics
ECOWAS Marathon announces exclusive prize money for West African runners, targets World Athletics Gold Label status
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has unveiled an exclusive prize money incentive for West African runners participating in the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference by the ECOWAS Commission, the sponsor of the marathon.
According to ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, who also serves as the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, the first West African runner to cross the finish line will receive $1,000.
The second-place finisher will earn $500, while the third, fourth, and fifth-place runners will receive $400, $250, and $200, respectively.
This initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
Njoaguani emphasized ECOWAS’ long-term vision to elevate the marathon to international prominence.
He stated that the goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
Currently, the marathon stands as the most lucrative half marathon in Africa, offering an impressive prize structure for both men and women.
Winners of the 21km race will each take home $10,000, while second and third-place finishers will earn $5,000 and $4,000, respectively.
The fourth-place runner will receive $3,500, followed by $3,000 for the fifth, $2,500 for the sixth, $2,000 for the seventh, $1,500 for the eighth, $1,200 for the ninth, and $1,000 for the tenth-place finisher.
In the 5km category, the first-place winner will receive $1,000, the second-place finisher $300, the third-place $250, the fourth-place $150, and the fifth-place $100.
Njoaguani expressed his delight at the marathon’s rapid growth and increasing popularity. He recalled the challenges faced in its early years but noted that it has since evolved into a highly anticipated sporting event.
The 2025 edition, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, is expected to attract over 5000 runners from across the globe.
To mark this milestone, ECOWAS is fully sponsoring runners from all member states, both men and women, to participate.
Additionally, significant interest has been shown by runners from Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as from other regions beyond Africa, including the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Switzerland.
For this edition, some minor adjustments have been made to the race routes.
The 21km race will begin and end at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, ensuring a seamless and well-coordinated course for participants.
Meanwhile, the 5km race will start Independence Drive by Sahad Stores and CDB and conclude at the ECOWAS Commission.
Beyond its competitive aspect, the marathon serves as a unifying platform for West African nations. Njoaguani highlighted that the marathon is more than just a race, emphasizing that it is a means of fostering regional integration, bringing people together to interact, celebrate fitness, and strengthen the bonds within the community.
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