Sports Groove

By Maxwell Kumoye        Athletics South Africa has announced a formidable 34-member team for the upcoming African Athletics Senior Championships scheduled to take place in Accra from May 12 to 17. Despite the relatively small size of the squad, the South African contingent boasts a blend of seasoned medalists and rising stars as the nation aims to successfully defend its continental dominance at the championships. Ten athletes in the squad are previous medal winners at the African Championships, underlining the depth of experience within the team.  The lineup is further strengthened by the inclusion of in-form sprinters Bradley Nkoana and Lythe Pillay, who both delivered podium performances at the recent World Athletics Relays in Gaborone. Speaking on the team selection, Athletics South Africa expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to uphold the country’s proud athletics tradition on the continent. “We have once again selected athletes that we ...

...As Ghana unveils medals for Accra 2026 By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye     Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships have suffered a major setback following reports that the country’s second fastest man, Benjamin Azamati, will miss the continental showpiece due to injury. According to reports from Ghana, the sprinter has sustained a groin injury, ruling him out of the championships scheduled to hold from May 12 to 17 in Accra. Azamati’s absence is a huge blow to Team Ghana, especially as the host nation was expected to rely heavily on his experience and speed in both the sprints and relay events.  The talented sprinter has been one of Ghana’s standout athletes in recent years, consistently flying the nation’s flag on the international stage. Despite the disappointing injury news, excitement continues to build ahead of the championships after the Ghana Athletics Association officially unveiled the medals to be presented du...

...Charamba, Makarawu boost Zimbabwe’s medal hopes in Accra   By Maxwell Kumoye       Zimbabwe’s athletics team has left for Accra, Ghana, ahead of the 2026 African Athletics Championships scheduled for May 12 to 17, with hopes high for a strong performance on the continental stage. The 12-member squad is spearheaded by the men’s 4x400m relay team of Gerren Muwishi, Leeford Zuze, Dennis Hove, and Thandazani Ndlovu, who head into the championships in impressive form after recently setting a new national record in Gaborone. The quartet clocked an outstanding 2:59.01 to rewrite Zimbabwe’s record books, raising expectations ahead of the competition in Ghana. The team will also be boosted by the arrival of United States-based sprint stars Makanakaishe Charamba and Tapiwanashe Makarawu, both expected to strengthen Zimbabwe’s medal prospects in the sprint events. Zimbabwe’s women’s challenge will feature three female sprinters, including Ashley Kamangirira, as t...

By Maxwell Kumoye       Bayelsa State has taken a major step towards grassroots football development after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Spanish giants FC Barcelona to establish a football academy in the state. The agreement was signed during the grand finale of the 2026 Prosperity Cup at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex on Friday, further underlining the state government’s ambition to become a hub for youth football development in Nigeria. Bayelsa Commissioner for Sports, Daniel Igali, signed on behalf of the state government, while Bernat Villa Garris signed for Barcelona in the presence of former Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick and the federation’s Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi. Speaking after the signing ceremony, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri described the partnership as a major breakthrough that would create opportunities for young talents in the state and steer youths away from social vices. According to the gov...

By Maxwell Kumoye   A Rivers State-born cyclist, Ikpo Godspower Boniface, has successfully completed a grueling 700-kilometre cycling journey from Lokoja to Port Harcourt in an effort to promote breast cancer awareness and advocate for early detection across Nigeria. The eight-day endurance ride, which commenced on April 30 under the theme “Stronger Together, Healthier Tomorrow,” came to a close on Saturday as the cyclist arrived in Port Harcourt to a rousing reception from supporters, friends and members of TEAM SUBSEA CYCLING CLUB. Boniface’s arrival was scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Obiri Ikwerre Flyover, where members of the cycling club gathered to celebrate what they described as a remarkable feat of endurance and a major contribution to public health advocacy. The awareness campaign was sponsored by Einstein Specialist Hospitals and organised by TEAM SUBSEA CYCLING CLUB, an affiliate of the Rivers State Sports Council. Organisers said the cross-country cycling tour...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye   Sporting Lagos emerged champions of the 2026 Nigeria National League (NNL) after edging city rivals Inter Lagos on goal difference at the end of the season-ending Super Four tournament in Ikenne, Ogun State. The competition came to a thrilling conclusion on Friday at the Remo Stars Stadium, where Inter Lagos claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sporting Lagos in a dramatic Lagos derby on the final day. Despite the defeat, Sporting Lagos, popularly known as the “Tech Boys,” still secured the NNL title and the ₦10 million prize money after topping the standings on superior goal difference. Sporting Lagos had entered the decisive Matchday Three needing only a draw to seal the crown, but their dominant performances in earlier matches ultimately proved enough.  They opened their Super Four campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ranchers Bees before delivering the tournament’s standout performance with an emphatic 4-0 demolition ...

By Maxwell Kumoye       Former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Omatseye Nesiama, has earned another major continental assignment after being selected for the prestigious World Athletics and Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Mentoring Programme for Referees. Nesiama, a retired military officer will participate in the programme during the 2026 African Championships scheduled to hold in Accra from May 10 to 19, in what is seen as another recognition of Nigeria’s growing influence in athletics officiating and technical administration. In an official invitation jointly signed by World Athletics and the CAA, the initiative was described as a developmental platform designed to enhance the capacity of Technical Officials through practical experience, education sessions and on-site mentoring at one of Africa’s biggest athletics competitions. The programme will also feature the presence of a World Athletics Gold Referee, who will ...

...It's a triumph driven by belief, backroom Strength      "The outing of the youthful Team Nigeria dominated by home base athletes was a huge, huge success story by every indication and benchmark.” This is the verdict of the 2nd Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Akuchukwu Aghazu, in a chat with AFN Media Hub shortly after landing in Nigeria from Gaborone, Botswana. She said, “Team Nigeria’s impressive performance at the World Relays Championships in Gaborone is credited not only to the athletes on the track but also to the strong administrative and motivational support behind the scenes.” One of the key figures in Nigeria’s successful outing, Akuchukwu Aghazu, the 2nd Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, played a major role in motivating and supporting the athletes, especially the female athletes throughout the championship. Aghazu, popularly known as Aku, stood firmly behind the team as Nigeria battled against som...

By Maxwell Kumoye     The Super Eagles of Nigeria may have failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the country’s influence will still echo across football’s biggest stage thanks to Grammy-winning superstar Burna Boy. Global pop icon Shakira on Thursday unveiled Dai Dai, the official anthem for the 2026 World Cup, with Burna Boy featuring prominently on the highly anticipated track. The song, scheduled for release on May 14, was teased by Shakira in a video filmed at the legendary Maracanã Stadium, instantly generating excitement ahead of the tournament to be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. While Nigerian football fans are still recovering from the disappointment of the Super Eagles missing out on qualification, Burna Boy’s involvement guarantees that Nigeria’s culture, sound and global energy will still have a powerful presence throughout the competition. The collaboration is another landmark moment for Nigerian entertainment on the world...