Sports
Jighere Wins North American Scrabble Championship
Team Nigeria has brightened their chances of retaining their title at the World English Scrabble Players Championship, with former world champion, Wellington Jighere, winning the North American Scrabble Championship during the week. The World English Scrabble Players Championship in Las Vegas started on Saturday and ends on July 26.
At the North American Championship, which was lined up as a pre-tournament competition ahead of the WESPAC, Jighere scored .3-2 in the final best of five against David Eldar of Australia. Three other Nigerian players finished in the top ten of the championship.
While Olatunde Oduwole placed fourth, Prince Osahon Omosefe was fifth and Opeyemi Oloro finished in the eighth position.
Another Nigerian player, Adebola Sanya won the Division two category of the North American Scrabble Championship ahead of Olabisi Salami and Charles Osadolor.
A member of Team Nigeria, who are warming up for the 2023 WASPEC, said the North American Scrabble event held in Las Vegas, Nevada, would help them build team spirit ahead of the World Championship.
Former World Champion and two-time African King, Jighere, won 25 out of 29 games with a cumulative point of plus 1181, ahead of tournament number two seed, David Eldar and number four seed, Alec Sjoholm at the North American Scrabble Championship.
President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Olobatoke Aka, described the victory in the North American Championship as a sign of good things to come at the World Championship.
He disclosed that 14 Nigerians have secured their tickets for the World Championship.
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.”