Sports
Gold Medalist Attributes Success To Hard Training
Gold medalist in the female category of the just concluded second Rivers State Open Karate and Kickboxing Championship in Port Harcourt, Chineye Ibeh of Lagos State, says her training against the competition was tough.
She expressed joy for winning the gold medal, saying that she under went stressful training for preparation.
Ibeh disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Tidesports over the weekend after she defeated Blessing James of Abuja 4-0 in the 61kg female final in karate, at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Sports Complex, Port Harcourt.
“I am very, very happy that after stressful trainings every thing paid for good. My preparations were very tough because since the beginning of the year, I have been training seriously for the championship,” Ibeh said.
She described this year’s tournament as more successful compared to the last edition.
“My ambition is to improve and win more medals,” she said.
Also speaking, Blessing James expressed sadness over the defeat, saying that her plan was to win the gold medal.
“I had a good preparation for the championship. But I don’t know what went wrong,” James explained.
The former gold medalist said she will go back to the drawing board to reclaim her title next outing.
By: Kadum Edookor
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”