Sports Groove

...Pledges more support for young talents By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye      Alhaji Imran Oladimeji Hamzat, head and convener of the Omo Ekoh Movement, has thrown his weight behind the Dynamic Athletics Meet, promising increased investment in the competition and the development of young Nigerian talents. Hamzat, who is the Managing Director and Chairman of GML Oil and LED West Africa Limited, expressed delight at the impressive turnout for the third edition of the meet, which attracted athletes across different age categories and from various parts of Nigeria. Speaking in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, Hamzat said the quality of talents on display had strengthened his resolve to do more for youth development, particularly in sports. “I am here to watch my talents. The younger generation are doing a lot, and I am so impressed by what I have seen here today,” he said. According to him, supporting ...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye      The National Sports Commission (NSC) has pledged its support for programmes of the Cityboy Movement aimed at improving the livelihoods of young Nigerians and expanding opportunities for youth development across the country. Chairman of the NSC, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, made the commitment when he received the Youth Leader of the Cityboy Movement, Sokoto State Chapter, and former Nigerian international, Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi, at his office. Dikko said the commission was open to partnerships capable of creating meaningful opportunities for young people, particularly through sports, grassroots talent development and structured programmes designed to promote sustainable livelihoods. According to him, the engagement provided an avenue to explore the role of sports in broader youth empowerment efforts, stressing that the commission would support credible youth-focused initiatives aligned with its vision for grassroots sports dev...

  By Maxwell Kumoye      Nigeria’s women’s beach volleyball team have booked their place in the semifinals of the 2026 African U-18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup in Senegal after maintaining their unbeaten run in the group stage. The Nigerian girls produced another impressive display on Wednesday defeating Mozambique 2-0 (21-15, 21-17) to seal their place in the last four. Coach of the Nigerian women’s team, John Iwerima, praised his players for their tactical discipline and composed performance against the Mozambicans. The former international said the young players have shown remarkable tactical maturity despite their age, insisting that their performance in Senegal is only the beginning of their development. “The girls have demonstrated a high level of tactical play. This is just the beginning for them, and I believe they will continue to improve as the tournament progresses,” Iwerima said. Iwerima explained that Nigeria’s primary objective at the D...

By Maxwell Kumoye  President and founder of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN), Dr Toyin Aluko, has reaffirmed that the organisation was created exclusively to protect the interests and preserve the contributions of retired Nigerian female international athletes. Speaking amid internal disagreements over the association’s leadership structure, Aluko said AFFAN was established in 2017 to ensure that women who had represented Nigeria on the global stage remained active in sports administration, mentorship and policy-making after retirement. She noted that the association was formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) by a group of former international athletes, including Ngozi Mamma, Halima Benjamin, Funke Oshonaike, Adeola Opeifa and Cecilia Arinye. According to Aluko, the vision behind AFFAN goes beyond social interaction among retired athletes, describing the body as a platform designed to harness the experience and knowle...

...‘Sports must become an economy, not merely an event’ By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye       Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Daniel Igali, has unveiled an ambitious vision to transform sports in the state from a competition-driven venture into a sustainable economic ecosystem capable of creating jobs, developing professionals and building institutions that will outlive individual administrations. Igali, a former President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation and former World and Olympic wrestling champion, said the proposed Asoama Sports Academy would be central to this new thinking, insisting that sports development must go beyond producing athletes. “People immediately think about producing athletes. Athletes are important, but sport is much bigger than competition,” Igali said. He explained that behind every competing athlete is an army of professionals, including coaches, referees, physiotherapists, nutritionists, sports scientists, ...

...World Athletics Vice President backs expanded sports programme, praises 2026 organisers By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye       India, a country known for its culture, cuisine and contrast, is promising to raise the bar for the Commonwealth Games when it hosts the multi-sport extravaganza in 2030, with World Athletics Vice President, Adille Sumariwalla, projecting an edition that will be bigger, better and more competitive than all previous Games. Sumariwalla, one of the leading figures in global athletics, said India’s 2030 Games would combine world-class competition with improved infrastructure, facilities and hospitality while also expanding the number of sports and events on the programme. Speaking exclusively to FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG’s Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, Sumariwalla, who is also President of the Athletics Federation of India and Vice President of the Indian Olympic Association, said India is determined to make the 2030 Games ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye        Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo made impressive starts at the 2026 CAVB Beach Volleyball Youth Development Cup in Saly, Senegal, winning their opening matches in the U-18 categories as Africa’s emerging beach volleyball talents began their quest for honours. Nigeria was particularly dominant in the women’s U-18 competition, securing two emphatic straight-set victories on the opening day. The Nigerian side began its campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over The Gambia, winning 21-9, 21-13, before producing an even more convincing display against Cape Verde, whom they defeated 21-7, 21-3. The results placed Nigeria among the early teams to watch as the tournament continues. Hosts Senegal also enjoyed a productive opening day, with several victories across the competition. Senegal B edged Egypt 2-1 in a closely fought encounter, winning 22-20, 21-17, 15-10, while Senegal also defeated Mozambique 2-1 after anothe...

By Maxwell Kumoye      The Niger State Government has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the development of Scrabble and other emerging sports, as three young players and an official representing the state at the just-concluded World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, with impressive results. The three players supported by the Niger State Government for the global competition were Khalifa Bello Yakubu, who competed in the Under-14 category; Saviour Oyare Onazi, Under-12; and Salvation Agbenu Onazi, Under-10. The championship, which attracted 134 young players from different parts of the world, saw the Nigerian youngsters hold their own against some of the best young Scrabble players on the international stage. Saviour Oyare Onazi and Salvation Agbenu Onazi both secured third-place finishes in their respective categories, giving Team Niger and Nigeria reason to celebrate their outstanding performances. Saviour, who competed in the Under-12 c...

By Maxwell Kumoye and Trust Ittai    The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-Kenya) says it is working closely with the country’s sports federations and government to ensure equal exposure and a clear qualification pathway for Kenyan athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Committee's President Shadrack Maluki Kitili said its focus is to ensure that athletes from all federations participate in the various qualifier events listed on their respective international calendars, giving them the opportunity to earn the points required to qualify for LA 2028. “We are working closely with all the federations to ensure that they get equal exposure. By equal exposure, we mean ensuring that all the federations are on the pathway to qualification for LA 2028,” Shadrack Maluki Kitili said. According to the Committee, collaboration with the government and the respective federations will be crucial in ensuring that Kenya is represented across multiple sports...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria’s young Scrabble players have produced yet another impressive performance at the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, with significant support from the Kwara State Government under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Team Nigeria secured several individual honours and finished as the second-best country among 134 young players from around the world who competed in 24 gruelling rounds over three days. Sophia Ekeruche successfully defended the Best Female Player title she won in Malaysia last year. Yusuf Abdulsalam emerged champion in the U-8 category he was also named Best Kid of the Tournament. Salvation Onazi finished second runner-up in the U-10 category, while Saviour Onazi claimed third place in the U-12 category. In the U-16 category, Olamide Hassan finished second runner-up and also placed 10th overall. The strong showing earned Nigeria the Second Best Country Prize at the championship. The achievement was made possib...

  By Maxwell Kumoye      Kwara United Queens have received prayers and a strong charge to fight for promotion as they intensify preparations for the 2026 NWFL Nationwide competition in Aba, Abia State. The Ilorin-based side visited the House of Prayer Assembly Basilica in the Olulande area of Ilorin on Sunday, where the club’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Owolabi Wopa, led the team on a courtesy visit to the General Overseer, Pastor Dr. Joseph Omorinoye. The visit, which also had Head Coach Paul Odeh in attendance, was aimed at seeking pastoral blessings ahead of the competition scheduled for August 15 to 23. Wopa thanked Pastor Omorinoye for receiving the team and praying for the players and officials, describing the cleric as a source of inspiration and joy to the people. The chairman expressed optimism that the Queens would produce a positive campaign and achieve their promotion ambition. In his response, Pastor Omorinoye welcomed the team and prayed fo...

Nigeria’s Odafe Benedict Efemuai emerged as one of the major stars of the FIDE World Amateur Blitz Chess Championship in Abuja, winning the Under 2300 Open category as India also recorded impressive successes across several divisions. The two-day Blitz Championship, held from August 6 to 7, brought the second phase of the FIDE World Amateur Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships to a close.  The competition was jointly organised by FIDE and the Nigeria Chess Federation, with players from Nigeria, India and Cameroon battling over 11 Swiss-system rounds under a fast-paced 3+2 time control. Efemuai produced a strong performance, accumulating eight points to finish third in the overall standings.  Despite finishing behind India’s AIM Shejal Sahil Sanjay, who topped the table with nine points, and CM Pankaj Sharma, who was runner-up with 8½ points, Efemuai secured the Under 2300 Open gold medal under the championship’s category-based prize regulations. Nigeria’s impressi...

By Maxwell Kumoye        Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has pledged stronger institutional support for sports development in the Nigeria Police Force after receiving Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, Corporal Ezekiel Nathaniel, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Nathaniel’s visit provided an opportunity for the police authorities to celebrate one of their own, with Disu describing the athlete’s success as a shining example of what can be achieved when sporting talent is properly identified and supported. The IGP said Nathaniel’s accomplishment had brought pride not only to the officer but also to the Police Force and Nigeria, stressing that sports and policing share important values such as discipline, teamwork and excellence. Disu, who disclosed that he is also a sportsman, said Nathaniel’s victory reinforced the need for the Force to continue providing opportunities for talented personnel to excel in competitive sports. He assur...

  By Maxwell Kumoye     After Friday's controversial disqualification of Miracles Ezechukwu, Team Nigeria produced another impressive performance at the ongoing 2026 World U-20 Athletics Championships in Oregon, securing qualification for the final of the women’s 4x400 metres relay. The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiayadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu clocked 3:35.28 to finish third in their heat and book their place in the medal-deciding final. Nigeria’s performance was also a season’s best (SB), underlining the quartet’s strong showing on the championship stage. Italy won the heat in a new World U-20 Record of 3:33.63, while Great Britain finished second in 3:33.82, with both nations also progressing automatically to the final. The Nigerian team finished ahead of South Africa and the other teams in the heat to claim the third and final automatic qualification spot.  Under the championship qualification format, the first three ...

By Maxwell Kumoye  Nigeria will witness a new sporting spectacle on September 10 when wheelchair American football makes its first appearance in the country at an exhibition in Lagos. The historic event, being organised by American Football for Elite Development (AFEDEV), is expected to bring together athletes, sports administrators, disability advocates and other stakeholders for a demonstration of the adapted version of American football. The exhibition will take place at the Outdoor Basketball Arena of the National Institute for Sports, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from 10 a.m. Organisers see the event as more than an introduction to a new sporting discipline. It is designed to draw attention to the need for greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s sporting programmes and create fresh pathways for participation. AFEDEV Media Director, Joseph Orie, said the exhibition would allow stakeholders to experience wheelchair American football and asse...

...Draws comparison to Vivian Chukwuemeka’s era By Maxwell Kumoye    Former Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Technical Director, Retired Commodore Omasteye Nesiama, has hailed Nigeria's Jessica Oji following her historic triumph at the World U-20 Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, where she claimed the women's shot put gold medal with a championship-winning throw of 18.08 metres. Oji's latest achievement comes on the heels of her silver medal-winning performance at the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, underlining her rapid rise as one of Nigeria's brightest prospects in the throwing events. Reacting to the youngster's success, Nesiama, a respected athletics administrator and former military intelligence officer, described Oji's emergence as a major milestone for Nigerian athletics. According to him, Oji's accomplishments represent the level of success he had always hoped to see from Nigeria in the women's shot put at th...

...Draws comparison to Vivian Chukwuemeka’s era By Maxwell Kumoye    Former Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Technical Director, Retired Commodore Omasteye Nesiama, has hailed Nigeria's Jessica Oji following her historic triumph at the World U-20 Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, where she claimed the women's shot put gold medal with a championship-winning throw of 18.08 metres. Oji's latest achievement comes on the heels of her silver medal-winning performance at the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, underlining her rapid rise as one of Nigeria's brightest prospects in the throwing events. Reacting to the youngster's success, Nesiama, a respected athletics administrator and former military intelligence officer, described Oji's emergence as a major milestone for Nigerian athletics. According to him, Oji's accomplishments represent the level of success he had always hoped to see from Nigeria in the women's shot put at th...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye    The Head Coach of Team Nigeria to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Solomon Aliyu, has insisted that gold medals alone should not be used as the yardstick for assessing the team's performance at the Games. Aliyu made the remarks in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye. Despite Team Nigeria returning with fewer medals than in previous editions, the coach praised the athletes for their performances, stressing that competing at a world-class event and achieving personal improvements were equally significant measures of success. "For me as a coach, it is not necessarily about the medal. What matters is the stage on which the athletes competed and the results they produced. "What would you say about an athlete who produced an impressive performance but did not win a medal? Would you say that athlete is not good enough to compete? No. "Sometimes, you simply have bet...

  By Maxwell Kumoye        Team Nigeria's Jessica Oji delivered an impressive performance to book her place in the women's shot put final at the ongoing 2026 World Athletics U-20 Championships in Oregon, USA. Oji showcased her class in the qualification round with a best throw of 17.56 metres, comfortably surpassing the automatic qualifying mark to finish first overall in the standings. The Nigerian teenager led a strong field ahead of Ecuador's Belsy Jenniffer Quiñónez, who secured second place with a throw of 17.25m, while Maria Rafailidou completed the top three qualifiers. Oji's commanding display further underlined her growing reputation as one of the brightest young talents in global athletics.  Having switched allegiance to Nigeria earlier this year, the talented shot putter has continued to make headlines with a series of outstanding performances on the international stage. Her qualification gives Team Nigeria another genuine medal prosp...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Head of Sports of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Samuel Onikeku, has thrown his weight behind the appointment of Ryan Masajedi as Technical Adviser of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), describing the experienced coach as the right man to take the sport to greater heights. Onikeku a former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) made the remarks after watching Masajedi oversee his first training session with the senior women's national volleyball team in Abuja, where preparations are underway for the 2026 African Nations Women's Volleyball Championship in Kenya. According to him, Masajedi's impressive coaching pedigree and international exposure provide Nigeria with a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of volleyball and compete consistently with the continent's best. "We are pleased to have Coach Ryan Masajedi with us," Onikeku said. "His experience speaks for itself, and we...

By Maxwell Kumoye Nigeria's teenage chess prodigy, Ekunke Odey Goodness, has etched his name into the history books after becoming the first-ever champion of the FIDE World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship, winning the inaugural title in Abuja. The 14-year-old produced a stunning display throughout the 11-round competition, amassing nine points from a possible 11 to finish ahead of a strong field at the championship jointly organised by FIDE and the Nigeria Chess Federation. Ekunke sealed the historic triumph after holding fellow Nigerian FM Eugene Ekpoikong Unwana to a draw in the decisive final-round clash. The result ensured the teenager finished on nine points, while Unwana claimed the silver medal with 8½ points. FM Bomo Lovet Kigigha also finished on 8½ points but settled for bronze on tie-break. The tournament, played with a rapid time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment, witnessed an intense battle among Nigeria's leading players, with the inaug...