Sports
S’Falcons Goalkeeper Ready For Australia, Thursday
Super Falcons’ Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, who had a woman of the match outing in Nigeria’s opening game of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup holding in Australia and New Zealand, is hale and hearty, ready for the team’s next game.
Nnadozie, who wore a thigh was bandage during the match against Canada, seemingly aggravated her injury in the course of the match. However, a source in the team’s camp told Tidesports source on Saturday that the Paris FC goalkeeper has recovered enough to be fit for the next game.
“Chiamaka has no injury problem; she had her recovery session today and is fit for the next fame,” the source said. Following her outstanding display against Canada, Nnadozie became the big name on everyone’s lips in Brisbane.
With captain Onome Ebi left on the substitutes bench, Coach Randy Waldrum handed the captain’s armband to the calm goal-tender, and she justified the confidence with a sterling performance, including a double save from iconic Christine Sinclair’s penalty kick five minutes into the second period.
According to Tidesports source the Super Falcons have returned to their base in Queensland, looking forward to what would certainly be a most interesting encounter with the Matildas.
“We are in very high spirits, I can tell you,” Ebi told Tidesports source on the team’s return to Brisbane. “It is the day after that massive point and we are already looking forward to our second match. The Aussies will not be easy, but we knew before arriving in Australia that no team at this tournament will be easy.”
The players were given the day off yesterday, and only loosened up from the encounter that stunned the North Americans. Even as ever-present Nigeria got a point off the Olympic champions in Melbourne, the Super Falcons still have a number of top performers in their ranks who have not tasted action, and are eager to do the business.
Midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Deborah Abiodun were massive in the early afternoon at the Rectangular, but suspended regulars Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde are now available for selection, and the versatile Jennifer Echegini and strong forward Desire Oparanozie are also keen to get in on the beat.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.