Other Sports
NIGERIA’S SPORTS MINISTER, DALUNG TIPS NIGERIAN WRESTLERS FOR 2020 OLYMPIC SUCCESS
The Minister of Youth and Sports in Nigeria, Solomon Dalung has predicted a successful outing for Nigerian wrestlers at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Dalung made the remark when the Ministry of Youth and Sports held a reception on Tuesday April 30, 2019 in Abuja for Nigerian wrestlers who emerged African Champions at the recently held Africa Championships held from 26 – 31 March, 2019 in Hammamet Tunisia and Nigerian Rowers who also won laurels at the Open International Canoe Sprint Championship held from March 21 – 26 , 2019 in Bhopal, India.
On the occasion which took place at the Ministry, Dalung noted that Wrestling has become one of Nigeria’s strongest sports at continental and global levels while inspiration for greatness is also germinating in the little known Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Rowing Federation.
“Nigerian wrestlers have distinguished themselves as a force to reckon with, thus giving the sport an enviable place of pride and elevating the country’s image as a top wrestling nation.
“The Nigerian wrestling team placed first in Africa on the overall medals table during the 2015 Africa Games held in Congo Brazzaville. Similarly, the Federation dominated other African countries, particularly in women’s wrestling, where they emerged African Champions at the 2018 Africa Championships which Nigeria hosted for the first time.
“When our female wrestlers participated in the two-ranking series events in Germany and Bulgaria in February and March 2019, their performances created an avenue for our star athlete, Adekuoroye Odunayo to be ranked fourth in the world and first in Africa.
“This success, apart from writing a chapter in the annals of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation history, is an indicator of the possibility of an Olympic medal in Tokyo.”
The Minister also commended the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation Daniel Igali and the President of Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing, Rear Admiral Festus Pobeni (rtd) for providing visionary and motivational leadership to their Federations and congratulated the athletes for their sacrifice and resilience.
Dalung also noted that the Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Federation is relatively new in the country but has emerged as one of the fastest developing sports in Nigeria.
“Under the current leadership, the Federation has recorded impressive performances in their international competitions. For instance, the Federation qualified two home based athletes for the
2018 Youth Olympics Games in Argentina where Nigeria was ranked number 7 and 8 in the world ranking.
“At the Africa Youth Games (AYG) 2018 in Algeria, Nigeria, with four gold, three silver and two bronze medals topped the table in canoeing and kayak.
“Nigeria, with three gold and a silver meda, emerged overall winners at the West Africa Rowing Regatta. All these could not have been possible without a focused board at the helms of affairs of the Federation.
“I therefore commend the board members of the two federations and the athletes for their outstanding performances and urge you to remain focused and determined in your campaign for qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Games.”
Dalung also promised the ministry’s support to the athletes by creating the right environment for success .
The athletes were later presented to the minister for decoration and a handshake while they also presented the trophy won by the wrestlers at the African Championship in Hammamet.
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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