Sports Groove

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    Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye        The Akwa Ibom State sports sector may be on the verge of a major transformation following a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, at the iconic Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. The strategic session, held in Uyo, brought together chairmen and secretaries of various sports associations alongside key stakeholders, with a unified goal to address systemic challenges and reposition sports in the state for sustained growth and competitiveness. Representatives from a wide spectrum of sports, including football, boxing, karate, weightlifting, aquatic sports, chess, scrabble, and judo, engaged in robust discussions centered on practical reforms and improved administration. In his address, Bassey praised the commitment of association leaders, describing the meeting as a deliberate effort to strengthen collaboration and build a more effective sports framework.  He also ackno...

By Trust Ittai          Top sports administrators and football legends are set to converge on Auchi, Edo State, for the official launch of the Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy scheduled for March 28. Among the dignitaries expected at the event are Edo State Governor His Excellency Monday Okpebholo, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, the commission’s Director General Bukola Olopade, and President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau. The academy is the brainchild of former Super Eagles star and coach Kadiri Ikhana, who confirmed in a statement that the project, which began skeletal operations late last year, will become fully operational after the official unveiling. Ikhana, a former Enyimba International F.C. coach and an Africa Coach of the Year winner, said the academy is designed to contribute to grassroots football development in Nigeria, particularly the nurturing of young talents for age-grade national teams. Th...

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland becomes Norway's all-time record goal scorer with his 34th goal in 36 appearances after scoring twice against Slovenia on Thursday night.

The presence of many Senegal players in the Saudi Pro League benefits the national team due to the competition's high competitive level, Al-Nassr forward Sadio Mane said on Wednesday. Mane, twice African player of the year, started the season with Al-Nassr strongly, scoring two goals and making five assists in six matches playing alongside all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo. "We’re all in the Senegalese national team," Mane told the Saudi Pro League. "Of course, we sometimes talk about the league and many other things. "It's a competitive league, so all the big players want to come, like Kalidou (Koulibaly), Habib (Diallo). They're all important players for our (national team) selection, so the fact that they're here is also beneficial for the national team". Mane is still close to Al-Ettifaq midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, his former Liverpool team mate. "Ginni is one of my very good friends," Mane says. "And (with) Gin...