IN PARIS OLYMPICS
World record holder in the 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, will be back on the tracks at the Stade de France on Friday for the semi-finals
of the event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Amusan cruised into the semi-finals on Wednesday, running a time of 12.49s to beat USA’s Alaysha Johnson, who was second in
12.61s and Janeek Brown third in 12.84s.
The Nigerian will line up against reigning world champion Danielle Williams, USA’s Grace Stark, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas and
four others in the first of three semi-finals.
The first two in each race will automatically qualify for Saturday’s final, while the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers will also join them.
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Nigeria’s Ese Brume has missed out on a podium finish in the women’s long jump event at the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games.
Ese finished in 5th position in the final with a mark of 6.70 metres.
The 28-year-old won bronze medal in the event three years ago in Tokyo.
Ruth Usoro and Prestina Ochonogor, the two other Nigerians in the final also failed to make it to the podium.
It was the first time Nigeria will field three athletes in the final of an individual event at the Olympics?.
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Nigeria’s Women relay team failed to qualify for the final of the Women’s four by one hundred metres Relay in Paris Olympics.
The Nigerian quartet of Justina Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Tima Godbless finished 6th in heat 2 with a
season’s best of 42.70 seconds but missed out on an automatic position into the final.
Great Britain won the relay in a time of 42.03 seconds to qualify for the final, while France came second in a time of 42.13 seconds to
reach the final.
Jamaica ladies ran a time of 42.35 seconds to emerge third while Canada, which came fourth in a time of 42.50 seconds and
Netherlands came fifth to take the last qualifying spot in a time of 42.64 seconds.
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Nigerian taekwondo star Elizabeth Anyanacho will commence her quest for Olympic glory in the women’s 67kg category on Friday,
against China’s Song Jie in the round of 16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Anyanacho, who has claimed gold medals at both the African Games and the Luxembourg Open held earlier this year, enters the
competition with confidence, having built momentum from her recent successes in the pre-Olympic tournaments.
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Nigeria’s men relay team also lost out of the Men’s four by one hundred metrea Relay.
The quartet of Kayinsola Ajayi, Alaba Akintola, Oghene Ashe and Godson Oghenebrume placed seventh in the relay with a time of
38.20 seconds.
The United States won the race with a time of 37.47 seconds, while South Africa came second with a time of 37.94 seconds to qualify
for the final.
Great Britain came third with a time of 38.04 seconds, while Japan finished fourth with a time of 38.06 seconds and Italy came fifth with
a time of 38.07 seconds to reach the final.
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Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye lost 8-10 to China’s Hong Kexin in the women’s freestyle fifty-seven kilograms event of the 2024
Olympic Games wrestling competition.
In the quarter-final match at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, both wrestlers were even by the end of the bout’s first period despite
the Nigerian’s early lead.
But Hong pulled away in the second period, scoring technical points freely as she headed into the semi-finals.
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Nigerian cyclist, Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye, says he received crucial support from the German cycling team at the Paris Olympics.
Ukpeseraye, who was unexpectedly called up to compete in the keirin and sprint events, faced a major hurdle when she arrived without
a bicycle.
Ukpeseraye, in her X handle, expressed her gratitude and shared her challenging experience.
Revealing that Team Nigeria had not provided her with a bicycle in time for the events, Ukpeseraye said the German team stepped in to
assist her, offering one of their bicycles so she could participate.
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Morocco have clinched their first ever medal in football at the Olympic games, after thrashing Egypt six-nil in the bronze medal match of
the Paris 2024 games.
The Moroccans now joined Nigeria Cameroon and Ghana as the only African teams to win a medal in football at the Olympic games.
Soufiane Rahimi scored a brace, while Abde Ezzalzouli, El Khannouss, Akram Nakach and Achraf Hakimi scored a goal each for
Morocco.
The final of the men’s football event will be between hosts France and Spain on Friday.
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Rafiatu Lawal on Thursday in Paris could only muster fifth place position in the women’s 59 kilogramme event of the weightlifting
competition at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Lawal lifted an average 100 in the snatch and 130 in the clean and jerk for a total 230.
Her performance placed her well away from any medal positioning, with China’s Luo Shifang winning the event’s gold medal.
Luo who set a new Olympic record with her performance had a snatch result of 107 and clean and jerk of 134 for a total of 241.
Canada’s Maude Charron had a snatch of 106 and clean and jerk of 130 for a total of 236 to claim the silver medal.
Kuo Hsing-Chun of Taipei won the bronze medal with a total of 235, scoring 105 from snatch and 130 from clean and jerk.
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Nigeria on Thursday lost its third entry in the six-athlete wrestling team when one of its brightest and medal hope Odunayo Adekuoroye
lost 8-10 to China’s Hong Kexin.
Adekuoroye could not stand up to Hong in the women’s freestyle 57 kilogramme event of the 2024 Olympic Games wrestling
competition.
In the quarter-final match at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, both wrestlers were even by the end of the bout’s first period in spite of
the Nigerian’s early lead.
But Hong pulled away in the second period, scoring technical points freely as she headed into the semi-finals.
Adekuoroye had earlier in the day in the first round overcame Algerian Chaimaa Aouissi who got injured
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Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed a surprise Olympic two hundred metres gold medal as Noah Lyles was denied a sprint double at
Paris 2024.
Tebogo stormed clear of his rivals to clock an African record of 19.46 seconds and finish ahead of American Kenneth Bednarek, who
crossed the line in 19.62.
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Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles said he tested positive two days before his bronze medal-winning performance in the men’s
200m final.
Lyles, who had been bidding to complete a 100m-200m double in Paris, was taken off the track in a wheelchair following the men’s
200m final, won by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo.
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American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone smashed her own world record as she stormed to a sensational Olympic four hundred metres
hurdles gold in Paris.
The anticipated title showdown with Dutch star Femke Bol never seriously materialised as McLaughlin-Levrone left her rivals far behind
to defend her title in 50.37 seconds.
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Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson leads the heptathlon after making a superb start in her bid to finally land the Olympic medal
that has so far eluded her.
Reigning world champion Johnson-Thompson, is narrowly ahead after the one hundred metres hurdles and high jump stages of the
seven-event discipline.
Johnson-Thompson racked up 2,197 points, with defending Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium second on 2,173.
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Meanwhile, Britain’s women’s four by one hundred metres relay team cruised into Friday’s final by impressively winning their heat.
The quartet of Bianca Williams, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt and Desiree Henry clocked 42.03 seconds as they look to earn Team GB’s
first medal in the event since 1956.
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The United States men’s basketball team pulled off an incredible comeback to clinch a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics gold medal
game.
Steph Curry, LeBron James and Joel Embiid led a come-from-behind effort in a 95-91 win over Serbia. The Americans were down 12
points at halftime and trailed by as many as 17.
Curry scored 36 points and knocked down nine three-pointers in the victory. James contributed 16 points and Embiid added 19 points.
Team USA is off to Saturday’s gold-medal game where it will face host nation France.
Victor Wembanyama and Co. defeated Germany 73-69 earlier on Thursday. Germany and Serbia will play in the bronze medal game.
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IN NIGERIA
With barely a month to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifiers between Nigeria and Benin, the Nigerian Football
Federation (NFF) is sharply divided over the choice of the new manager for the Super Eagles following the resignation of Finidi
George on 15th June.
The NFF is finding it difficult to make a final choice between French coach Eric Chelle and Belgian Tom Saintfiet for the vacant
position.
Majority of the NFF’s board members have settled for Chelle, the former Head Coach of Mali due to his successful spell with the
West African side where he recorded an impressive 79 percent winning ratio.
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President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has commiserated with the Cameroonian football fraternity and
the African football family as a whole, following the death on Thursday of former President of Confederation of African Football, Alhaji
Issa Hayatou.
A former 400m and 800m champion of Cameroon, who served as President of CAF between 10th March 1988 – 16th March 2017,
Hayatou died after a protracted illness in the French capital, Paris on the eve of his 78th birthday.
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ENGLAND
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag faces a defensive headache as injuries continue to plague his side’s preparations for
Saturday’s Community Shield clash with rivals Manchester City.
United are set to be without defenders Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the new season’s
curtain-raiser, which pits the Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners.
In addition, centre-back Lisandro Martinez only rejoined the squad this week after taking part in Argentina’s successful defence of its
Copa America crown this summer.
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Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison says he wants to stay at the team after turning down a move to Saudi Arabia.
The Brazil forward, joined Spurs from Everton in 2022 for a club-record fee of sixty million pounds.
Richarlison, whose contract runs until 2027, has attracted interest from a number of clubs in Saudi Arabia, with one unnamed team
tabling a bid.
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Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling says he misses playing for England because it is one of the best feelings he can ever have.
Sterling has not played for his country since the 2022 World Cup, when he flew home to attend a family emergency during the
tournament in Qatar.
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Chelsea have completed the signing of defender Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors in a fifteen point six million pounds deal.
The player signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge but will remain on loan at the Argentine club for the 2024-25 season as
part of the agreement.
He made his debut for Boca in June 2023 and has made ten appearances in total.
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West Ham United captain, Kurt Zouma is closing in on a move to the United Arab Emirates.
Zouma has been in talks with Dubai-based Shabab Al-Ahli and a deal is expected to be sealed in the coming days.
The player has one year left on his deal at London Stadium and is one of the Hammers’ highest earners.
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Newcastle United have signed Denmark Under-21 striker William Osula from Sheffield United.
Osula joins the Magpies for a reported fee of fifteen million pounds, having scored three goals in thirty-one senior appearances for the
Blades.
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Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is in talks with Italian side Fiorentina about a possible return to the game.
De Gea spent last season on the sidelines after his contract at United came to an end.
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Aston Villa women have signed Netherlands winger Chasity Grant from Ajax for an undisclosed fee.
The Grant moves to the Women’s Super League side on a three-year deal, subject to Football Association approval and international
clearance.
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OTHER LEAGUE
Former Real Madrid and Porto defender Pepe has announced his retirement from football, ending one of the most highly decorated
careers of recent times.
Pepe became the oldest player to appear at a European Championship finals this summer, and his last match was Portugal’s penalty
shootout defeat by France in the quarter-finals.
The former Real Madrid centre-back made 141 appearances for his country only Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Moutinho have more
Portugal caps while he also played for Porto, Besiktas and Maritimo.
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Former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, has passed away at the age of 77.
The football administrator, who was a key figure in African football for decades, died in Paris on Thursday, a day before his 78th
birthday.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino described the late Hayatou as a ‘passionate sports fan” in a post on Instagram on Thursday evening.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Rugby, Aled Walters has left his role as England’s head of strength and conditioning to take up a position as head of athletic
performance with Ireland.
Walters joined England from Leicester Tigers before the Rugby World Cup in 2023, having worked in rugby for eighteen years
including roles with Munster and South Africa.
The highly-rated Welshman, who was head of athletic performance for the 2019 Springboks’ Rugby World Cup-winning squad,
replaces Jason Cowman in the role.
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Still on Rugby, the French Rugby Federation says France Under-eighteen international Medhi Narjissi is missing after being swept away
by a wave while swimming in the sea off Cape Town.
The Federation said the incident took place during a recovery session with other players in South Africa on Wednesday before search
teams were immediately dispatched.
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In Formula one, The woman who complained about Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s behaviour has had her appeal against
the investigation that cleared him dismissed.
She first lodged a complaint in December that contained allegations of coercive, abusive behaviour and sexual harassment by Horner,
50.
Another independent lawyer has now concluded the appeal against that decision was not upheld.
In a statement, Red Bull said it had accepted and adopted the conclusions of the lawyer.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Champions are not made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them a desire, a dream, a
vision…words from late World HeavyWeight Champion Boxer, Muhammad Ali.
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