Sports Groove

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye    Head Coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Aliyu, has expressed strong confidence in Team Nigeria's preparedness for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, revealing that the athletics team is already 95 percent ready for the multi-sport event. Speaking in an exclusive interview with First Zealmediacast Blog's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye from Aberdeen, Scotland, where the athletes are undergoing their final phase of preparations, Aliyu said everything has gone according to plan and the squad is in excellent condition ahead of the Games. According to the veteran coach, the athletes currently in camp earned their places through merit and recent performances, making up Nigeria's strongest team across the various track and field events. "Team Nigeria is about 95 percent ready for the Games. The athletes are already in Aberdeen for the final phase of preparations before the competition begins, ...

...Retains princely elite prize purse, registration opens By Maxwell Kumoye   After a one-year break, the Great Abeokuta 10KM Race is set to make a highly anticipated return, with organisers unveiling a special edition reserved exclusively for Nigerian athletes while retaining its prestigious elite prize purse. Nilayo Sports Management Limited (NSML), one of Africa's leading sports marketing and event management companies, announced that the race will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, marking the return of one of Nigeria's foremost road running events. In a major boost for homegrown athletics, the 2026 edition will be open only to Nigerian participants, a move aimed at providing local long-distance runners with a unique opportunity to compete for the full prize money traditionally contested by elite international athletes. Explaining the rationale behind the decision, NSML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yetunde Olopade, said the organisers wanted the r...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria's rising sprint sensation, Kayinsola Ajayi, will renew his growing rivalry with reigning world champion Oblique Seville ofsJamaica at the London Diamond League on Saturday, with pride and momentum on the line. Ajayi heads into the meeting full of confidence after producing a stunning upset at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, where he defeated Seville in a blistering 9.84 seconds.  The Jamaican crossed the line in 9.89 seconds, handing the Nigerian one of the biggest victories of his career. The result also gave the 21 year old Ajayi a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head meetings. Their rivalry began at the World Championships in Tokyo, where Ajayi edged Seville in the heats, clocking 9.88 seconds to Seville's 9.93. However, Seville had the final say when it mattered most, storming to the world title in a personal best of 9.77 seconds, while Ajayi finished sixth in the final. Ajayi responded in style in Eugene, beating the world champion once...

By Trust Ittai    European Athletics and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have introduced new broadcasting guidelines aimed at preventing the sexualisation of female athletes through inappropriate camera angles and replay choices during sports coverage. The move, announced on Tuesday, follows feedback from athletes who raised concerns that certain filming techniques can create discomfort and distract attention from their performances by focusing on appearance rather than sporting excellence. European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov said the new measures represent an important step towards ensuring that women in sport are portrayed with dignity and respect. "The development of filming guidelines is a crucial step toward eliminating harmful portrayals of women in our sports while maintaining the highest level of storytelling and technical excellence," Karamarinov said. Under the guidelines, broadcasters have been advised to avoid prolonged close-up shots of specif...

By Maxwell Kumoye      Australia's World U-20 Championships medal hopes have suffered a major setback after teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout was ruled out of next month's championships in Eugene due to a serious hamstring injury. The highly-rated Australian sprinter sustained a Grade 3C injury to his left hamstring during a training session in Brisbane, ending his hopes of competing at the prestigious global junior athletics event. The injury forces the rising star to withdraw from the championships, where he was expected to be one of Australia's leading medal contenders following his rapid rise in world sprinting. Australia's medical team will now oversee an extensive rehabilitation programme, with the teenager shifting his focus to a full recovery before returning to competition. Despite the disappointment, Gout remains optimistic about the future and has set his sights on making a stronger comeback in 2027. His absence is a significant blow for the Australian team,...

By Mishael Emmanuel and Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye    Team Gambia produced an impressive performance at the 2026 CAA Region II Under-18 and Under-20 Athletics Championships in Dakar, Senegal, finishing the competition with a haul of 19 medals. The Gambian contingent secured seven gold, six silver and six bronze medals, underlining the country's growing strength in youth athletics across the West African region. Throughout the championships, Gambia athletes delivered a series of outstanding performances on both the track and in the field, demonstrating talent, resilience and determination against some of the region's best young competitors. The medal haul reflects the hard work of the athletes, the dedication of the coaching crew and the continued investment in athletics development in The Gambia. In a statement after the championships, the Gambia Athletics Association praised the team's achievements and expressed appreciation to the athletes, coaches, officials and s...

By Maxwell Kumoye     Godson Oghenebrume has been sentenced to 27 months in prison by a United States federal court after being convicted of illegal possession of a firearm while in the country on a non-immigrant student visa. The 23-year-old, who resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced for possession of a firearm by an alien admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa.  The decision was announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall in a statement issued by the Department of Justice on June 30, 2026. Upon completing his prison sentence, the Nigerian sprinter will be deported from the United States. According to court documents, Oghenebrume admitted during a plea agreement that he possessed a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, despite being in the United States on an F-1 student visa. Prosecutors said the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute involving Oghenebrume, his former girlfriend, who is the mother of his infant child and anothe...

...Victory signals return to best form ahead of Commonwealth Games   By Maxwell Kumoye      World record holder Tobi Amusan continued her impressive return to form by producing a commanding display at the Paris Diamond League, where she first qualified for the final by winning the opening heat of the women's 100m hurdles in 12.39 seconds (+0.4m/s). Amusan looked comfortable throughout the race as she crossed the line ahead of Dutch hurdler Nadine Visser, who finished second in a season's best of 12.44s, while Jamaican champion Demisha Roswell placed third in 12.46s to also secure qualification for the final. Carrying that momentum into the final, the Nigerian sprint hurdling queen delivered an even more impressive performance, storming to victory in a season's best time of 12.28 seconds. Competing in ideal conditions with a legal tailwind of +0.7m/s, Amusan exploded out of the blocks from lane four with a reaction time of 0.135 seconds before producing a technically ...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye       Head Coach of Team Nigeria Athletics, Solomon Aliyu, says the impressive performances witnessed at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Commonwealth Games Trials are only a preview of what Nigerians should expect from the country's athletes at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Aliyu a former police officer made the remarks in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG, expressing confidence that Team Nigeria will raise its performance when the Games begin. The veteran coach described the trials as a successful first phase in the team's preparations, insisting that the athletes are capable of delivering even more on the international stage. "What we saw at the AFN Commonwealth Games Trials is just the beginning," Aliyu said. "At the Commonwealth Games, Nigerians should expect even better performances from our athletes. This is only the first phase, so watch out for what's to come." Aliyu also rese...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye      Nigeria's road to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, begins this weekend as the nation's finest athletes converge on the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos for the highly anticipated Commonwealth Games Trials. The three-day competition, scheduled to run from June 20 to 22, will serve as the mandatory selection event for athletes hoping to secure places on Team Nigeria for the Commonwealth Games later this summer.  A total of 32 events will be contested, but attention will undoubtedly focus on 14 marquee events expected to produce world-class performances and fierce rivalries. For the first time in recent memory, the Trials arrive against the backdrop of an intense battle between Nigeria's home-based athletes and a growing crop of elite performers based in the United States collegiate system, setting the stage for one of the most competitive national championships in years. The men's and w...

  By Maxwell Kumoye    With less than 48 hours to the start of the Commonwealth Games Trials in Lagos, some of Nigeria's top athletes are already showing signs of readiness, and one of them is emerging quarter-miler Gafari Badmus. The talented Nigerian sprinter produced a sensational performance on Wednesday at the Meeting International Ciudad de Malaga in Spain, racing to victory in the men's 400m event with a new personal best time of 45.28 seconds. Badmus shattered his previous lifetime best of 45.53s, set in 2025, further underlining his rapid development and growing status as one of Nigeria's brightest prospects in the one-lap event. The Nigerian crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of Ericson Tavares, who placed second in 45.85s, while Sean Doggett finished third in 46.24s. The performance comes at the perfect time for Badmus, who is expected to be one of the athletes to watch at the Commonwealth Games Trials scheduled to begin this weekend at the Y...

By Maxwell Kumoye      Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi delivered another strong performance on the international circuit ahead of the Commonwealth Games Trials, finishing second in the men’s shot put at the prestigious Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Tuesday.  South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme produced impressive times in the men’s 100 metres at the same competition. Enekwechi, one of Africa’s leading throwers, recorded a best effort of 21.43m to secure the runner-up position behind Italy’s two-time world medallist Leonardo Fabbri, who retained his Golden Spike title with a winning throw of 21.91m. The Nigerian star once again demonstrated his consistency at the highest level, holding off a quality field and continuing his preparations for the major championships later in the season.  Enekwechi has remained one of Nigeria’s most reliable performers in the throwing events and his latest podium finish furth...

  By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria's rising athletics star, Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi, etched his name into the record books on Thursday after becoming the first Nigerian male athlete to win the NCAA men's javelin title at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The talented thrower delivered a stunning performance, securing the prestigious collegiate crown with a massive opening throw of 82.26 metres that proved untouchable throughout the competition. Nnamdi stamped his authority on the event from the outset, launching the winning mark in the first round and maintaining his dominance against a strong field.  Impressively, both of his throws beyond the 80-metre mark were enough to secure victory, underlining the quality of his performance on one of college athletics' biggest stages. The Nigerian finished ahead of Bahamas' Keyshawn Strachan, who settled for second place with a best effort of 80.65m, while Jack Larriviere claimed third position after recordi...

By Maxwell Kumoye      Nigerian sprint star Kanyinsola Ajayi produced one of the standout performances of the NCAA Championships, powering to victory in the men's 100 metres with a sensational wind-assisted 9.72 seconds at Hayward Field. Representing Auburn University, the 21-year-old dominated the race from start to finish to become only the second Nigerian, after Divine Oduduru in 2018, to claim the NCAA men's 100m crown. Ajayi crossed the line in a remarkable 9.72 seconds, a time faster than the African record of 9.77 seconds held by Ferdinand Omanyala. However, the race was aided by a tailwind of +2.2 metres per second, just above the legal limit of +2.0m/s, meaning the performance cannot be recognized as an official record. Even so, the Nigerian's run ranks among the fastest ever recorded under all conditions and further underlines his emergence as one of the world's most exciting sprint talents. Ajayi left the rest of the field trailing in his wake, op...

...Retains NCAA 400m crown in historic fashion ...Words can't express how I feel right now – Ogazi    By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria's sprint sensation Samuel Ogazi delivered a performance for the ages on Friday night, shattering the collegiate record in the men's 400 metres to successfully defend his NCAA outdoor title at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field. Representing University of Alabama, Ogazi stormed to victory in a breathtaking 43.38 seconds, eclipsing the previous collegiate record of 43.61 seconds set by Michael Norman of USC in 2018. The stunning run further cemented Ogazi's status as one of the brightest stars in global sprinting and added another prestigious title to an already remarkable collection that includes last year's NCAA outdoor championship and the NCAA indoor crown he captured in March. An emotional Ogazi struggled to contain his excitement after seeing the historic time flash across the Hayward Field scoreboard...

...AFN declares National Trials Mandatory for Athletes, Set benchmark for sprint  By Maxwell Kumoye  The race for places on Team Nigeria to the 2026 Commonwealth Games has officially begun, with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) announcing dates for the national trials that will determine the country's track and field representatives for Glasgow, Scotland. The highly anticipated trials will hold from June 20 to June 22, 2026, at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex in Lagos, bringing together some of the nation's finest athletes in what promises to be a fiercely contested competition. For Nigerian athletes dreaming of competing at the Commonwealth Games, the trials represent the most crucial hurdle in the qualification process.  The AFN has made it clear that participation in the trials is mandatory for any athlete hoping to secure a place on Team Nigeria, making the Lagos event a make-or-break opportunity for established stars and ...

By Maxwell Kumoye      The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) continues to be one of the country's most successful sporting federations, consistently placing Botswana on the global athletics map through outstanding performances by its athletes. From regional competitions to world championships, Botswana's track and field stars have continued to bring honour to the nation. However, maintaining such high standards requires continuous introspection, strategic planning, and the willingness to address emerging challenges. It was against this backdrop that the BAA convened its Annual General Assembly on Saturday, where delegates reflected on both the achievements and challenges facing athletics in the country. Among the key issues highlighted were the growing number of doping cases and the decline in female participation at elite levels of the sport. Addressing the assembly, BAA Acting President Oabona Theetso acknowledged that while Botswana has much to celebrate...

By Mishael Emmanuel      Botswana's next generation of athletics stars departed for Mauritius on Monday ahead of the 2026 Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA) Under-18 and Under-20 Championships, scheduled to take place from June 5 to 7. The youthful squad will represent the country against some of the region's most promising athletes as they seek to make their mark on the international stage and continue Botswana's growing reputation as a force in African athletics. The championships will provide a valuable platform for the young athletes to test themselves against top competition from across Southern Africa while gaining crucial international experience. Expectations are high for Team Botswana, with the nation's athletics programme continuing to produce talented performers capable of competing at the highest levels. The event is also viewed as an important stepping stone in the development of future senior national team athletes. As the team ...

By Maxwell Kumoye     The recently concluded NCAA outdoor athletics season once again highlighted why the American collegiate system remains one of the world's most effective talent development structures, producing elite athletes who continue to dominate global competitions and provide Africa, particularly Nigeria, with a steady stream of international stars. From record-breaking performances to qualification standards achieved for major global championships, Nigerian and African athletes competing within the NCAA system demonstrated the immense value of combining education with structured sports development. Yet amid the celebrations, a growing concern remains the inability of many student-athletes studying in the United States to consistently represent their countries at international competitions due to increasingly stringent visa regulations and travel restrictions. Several Nigerian athletes enrolled in American colleges have, in recent years, struggled to hon...

...Sets new meet record By Maxwell Kumoye      Nigeria's sprint hurdles queen, Tobi Amusan, continued her impressive return to form on Sunday, racing to victory in the women's 100m hurdles at the Rabat Diamond League in Morocco. The African and world record holder produced a commanding performance, crossing the finish line in 12.28 seconds to equal her season's best and establish a new meet record with a legal wind reading of +1.2m/s. Amusan finished comfortably ahead of Bahamas' Devynne Charlton, who placed second in 12.40 seconds, while Netherlands' Nadine Visser claimed third place in 12.47 seconds. The victory further underlines the Nigerian star's growing momentum ahead of a busy international season. Amusan has been steadily building form throughout the year, delivering strong performances in the opening two Diamond League meetings in China before extending her fine run in Rabat. Her latest triumph comes on the heels of another major success af...