Other Sports
RUGBY TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT NIGERIA’S NATIONAL YOUTH GAMES
BY NTIENSE WILLIAMS.
Draws for the Rugby event of the ongoing 5th National Youth Games has been conducted in preparation for the kick – off on Sunday.
In the ladies category, six
states registered. They are Edo, Lagos, Osun, Delta, Ogun, and Rivers states.
For the boys’ category, five states are competing. They are Lagos, Delta,
Rivers, Kano, and Osun states.
The ladies draw has in Group A – Edo, Ogun and Osun States, while Group B has Lagos, Rivers and Delta states
The boys draw has Delta, Kano and Lagos states in Group A, while Rivers and Osun states are in the lucky Group B.
All the teams will play round robin matches against each other in the group stages and the winners and runner-ups will proceed to the semi finals.
Meanwhile, the Ehibam Griefshare Foundation led by the founder and Rugby enthusiast Pastor Dupe Irele has decided to throw her support and encouragement to the rugby children by donating a trophy for the Most Disciplined Teams of the National Youth Games Rugby event in the both categories.
This is in continuation of her Foundation’s support and encouragement of Schools Rugby in Nigeria, which the National Youth Games being an U-15 event fits in perfectly.
According to Dupe, who could not be physically present in Ilorin for the games due to other pressing commitments, “Our Foundation is so proud to be identified with this laudable project of the National Youth Games being organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports.
“We are so excited that rugby is featuring for the second time as a scoring event and we pledge our full support to the “Catch Them Young” Rugby development program which will certainly produce quality Rugby players for the Nigerian Rugby Team in the nearest future”.
“We once again sincerely thank all the nine states that brought their rugby Teams for this event and look forward to more state in the next edition.
The Rugby event has two gold medals for the Games in the Seven – A – Side shorter version of the beautiful game which will be witnessing its flagship International event “The Rugby World Cup” that will kick – off in the next Six days time in Japan in its eighth edition.
Other Sports
Stolen Ferrari Recovered Almost 30 Years Later –
![Stolen Ferrari Recovered Almost 30 Years Later -](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Stolen-Ferrari-Recovered-Almost-30-Years-Later.jpg)
A Ferrari Testarossa sports car stolen from Austrian Formula One driver Gerhard Berger during the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix weekend has been recovered by London police almost 29 years later.
The Metropolitan Police said on Monday the red F512M, worth some 350,000 pounds ($444,325.00), was tracked down in four days after Ferrari reported it was the one being sold through a British broker to a U.S. buyer.
Police enquiries found it was shipped to Japan shortly after being stolen from the Italian city of Imola and then arrived in Britain in late 2023.
The Organised Vehicle Crime Unit said enquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made.
A second silver Ferrari F355 that belonged to Berger’s French former team mate Jean Alesi, which was stolen on the same weekend in the Italian city, remains missing.
Alesi finished second in the race won by Williams’ Damon Hill with Berger third, in the Ferrari drivers’ final season at the Italian team before the arrival of Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine.
Berger had caught the thief in the act of stealing his car but after jumping clear and then giving chase in a friend’s Volkswagen Golf, according to a news report at the time, was unable to prevent it from getting away.
-Reuters
Other Sports
Bayelsa State are National Para Games champions
The resounding success of the 2nd edition of the National Para Games culminated in an exhilarating and grand closing ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The week-long celebration of talent, resilience, and sportsmanship concluded on December 14th, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of para sports in Nigeria.
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, lauded the remarkable display of talent and dexterity exhibited by the para athletes throughout the Games. Expressing his delight, he commended the spirit of competition and the dedication of all participants.
“The National Para Games have once again showcased the incredible abilities and unwavering spirit of our para athletes,” Senator Enoh said. “The level of talent and determination displayed by these athletes is truly inspiring. They embody the essence of sportsmanship and perseverance.”
“Through sports, we celebrate unity, resilience, and determination. The National Para Games have proven to be a platform that not only showcases exceptional talent but also fosters inclusivity and breaks barriers.”
From December 8th to 14th, the stadium played host to representatives from all 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The atmosphere was charged with excitement as athletes showcased their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit, captivating audiences and leaving spectators in awe.
Bayelsa State emerged as the champions of the Games, winning 30 gold, 24 silver and 20 bronze medals. Abia, Kano Lagos, and Oyo states completed the top five in that order. Their athletes’ dedication and outstanding performances solidified their position at the pinnacle of para sports excellence.
The closing ceremony was a spectacle of pomp and pageantry, featuring captivating performances, cultural displays, and heartfelt tributes to the athletes who epitomized perseverance and triumph over adversity.
As the curtains drew to a close on this momentous occasion, the legacy of the National Para Games continues to inspire a new era of inclusivity, empowerment, and recognition for para athletes across Nigeria.
Other Sports
A football club gets record! Sixteen yellow cards in a game
A Czech football club playing in the lowest division has made the sports pages across the country after 16 of its players were booked at the same time last weekend.
TJ Sokol Upohlavy’s players decided to make a splash as they were trailing TJ Sokol Libochovany 6-0 in their game in the lowest district tier last Saturday.
When Martin Blizil scored to make it 6-1 in the 82nd minute, all 11 of the team’s players on the pitch took off their shirts in celebration – a deed punishable by a yellow card.
Five substitutes came off the bench to celebrate with them, also taking off their shirts and earning a booking.
“The last game didn’t really go our way, but our players maybe set a world record,” the team said on Facebook after losing the game 6-2 in the end.
“When you underperform, what’s left is a sense of humour.”
The referee did not book each player individually – also because with the players’ shirts off, he could not see the numbers.
But he did enter the bookings in the match report. The transcript, with a yellow rectangle next to each Upohlavy player’s name, has since gone viral on local social media.
The village of Upohlavy, where the club is based, has a population of 276 people and lies about 50 kilometres northwest of the Czech capital Prague.
–AFP
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