SPORTS
Ekpenyong Wins 2022 Rainoil Tennis Tournament
The 2022 edition of the Rainoil Tennis Open ended with glamour on Sunday at the Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos, when 16-year old David Ekpenyong emerged winner of the men’s single after beating Uche Oparaoji, 7-6(4), 6-1.
The championship served-off at the Tennis Section of the Ikoyi Club 1938.
Ekpenyong won the grand prize of N1.5 million.
Ekpenyong and Oparaoji had earlier won the men’s double, beating the pair of Biron Albert and Madueke Nonso 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.In a similar trend, 17-year old Marylove Edwards won the women’s single by defeating Anu Ayegbusi, 6-0, 2-0 rtd, as Ayegbusi bowed out of the game during the second round.
The women’s double was also won by the duo Edward and Ayegbusi, who defeated Toyin Asogba and Blessing Omotayo 6-0, 6-2.
The tournament, co-sponsored by Stanbic IBTC Bank, had 144 top players selected from different parts of Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Tennis Section of the club, Akeem Mustafa, commended Rainoil Limited for hosting the event successfully.
According to Mustafa, Rainoil Limited has over the years demonstrated unusual passion and support for tennis and has consistently increased the winning prizes of the tournament, thereby building interest in the game.
He urged the management not to relent in their support of the game and congratulated the winners.
The Group Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie (OON), said the investment of Rainoil in lawn tennis was borne out of his passion for the game and the desire to provide platforms for young ones to love the game and make a decent living from it.
Ogbechie said tennis was a game capable of lifting the young ones out of poverty and bringing them into prosperity.
He said top tennis players in the world had won over $100 million in prize money alone, and Nigerians could rise to that level in the game if well developed.
Ogbechie further said the sport deserved all the support it could get and decried the absence of officials of the Nigeria Tennis Federation at the tournament.
The GMD stated that the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), as the custodian of the game in Nigeria, should show support and encouragement to any organisation that showed interest in the sport.
The Managing Director of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Wole Adeniyi, expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the tournament and congratulated the winners, players, and Rainoil Limited for the ingenious initiative.
He expressed hope that the tournament would produce a grand slam winner in the future and assured Rainoil of the bank’s continuous support for the tournament. (NAN)
Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Saturday defeated Lobi Stars of Makurdi 1-0 in a pulsating North Central derby.
The matchday 16 fixture of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiere Football League (NPFL) was played at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State capital.
The Makurdi side had adopted the Lafia Township Stadium as their home ground for the 2024/2025 NPFL season.
The only goal of the match was scored by Qamar Adegoke in the 12th minute of the match to give all three points to the Lafia side.
Adegoke’s goal, who joined the Lafia team recently, was his second in four matches.
The Nasarawa attacker capitalised on a defensive error by the opponent’s backline and hit the back of the net to give Nasarawa United the advantage.
In a post-match interview, Kabir Dogo, Technical Adviser of Nasarawa United, hailed his players for taking all three points.
He explained that his team had improved by scoring five goals in their last three matches and expressed optimism that they would do better in subsequent games.
“We had a problem in the area of goal scoring in the past, but this has changed in our last three games,” he said.
With the win, Nasarawa United climbed to 14th on the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars remain on 17th position. (NAN)
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organising a two-day National Coaching Seminar, with the theme: “Leadership and Management Skills”.
The event will take place from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18, at the Additional Sports and Entertainment (ASEP) Pro Limited, in Mowe, Ogun State.
The seminar will enhance the capabilities of Nigerian table tennis coaches, with a particular emphasis on female coaches, aligning with the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Initiative.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, on Tuesday, said that the seminar was part of the one-week sports and leadership boot camp titled “Awaken the Giant, She Can 4.
0,” proudly supported by NTTF.“This seminar will also represent the third stage of the 2024 “My Gender, My Strength” programme, which has table tennis star Abosede Akinsete, as a beneficiary.
“NTTF President,Tikon Ishaku, Vice President, Adesoji Tayo, and other board members are dedicated to initiatives that support the development of coaches.
“Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, ITTF Executive Vice President, and President of ITTF-Africa, reaffirms his commitment to empowering women in sports, in line with the GEDI Initiative.
He explained that the seminar would feature people, who would speak on leadership and management skills, to enhance the abilities of coaches to identify and develop talents, as well as encourage the development of high-performance table tennis players capable of competing globally. (NAN)
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday returned to the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) summit as strong rivals Remo Stars FC faltered on Match Day 13.
Report says that Rivers United beat visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia 1-0 after an Ndifreke Effiong 58th minute goal from the penalty kick spot.
Effiong’s goal in the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium helped them to move to 25 points from 13 matches, after seven wins, four draws and two losses.
Former leaders Remo Stars dropped to second with 23 points from 13 matches after seven wins, two draws and four losses, following a 0-2 loss to hosts Katsina United.
Plateau United of Jos beat visiting Nasarawa United of Lafia 2-0 to bolster their position.
Shooting Stars Sports Club also struggled to a 1-0 win over visiting Bayelsa United of Yenago.
A 15th minute goal by Anthony Okachi at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan gave them the win.
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri had on Saturday beaten Akwa United of Uyo 1-0 to move into third place on the table with 22 points from 13 games.
Enyimba International of Aba remained in fourth place with 20 points from 12 matches, with their week 13 game against Sunshine Stars of Akure on hold.
Rangers International of Enugu are in fifth place with 20 points also, after a goalless draw with hosts Heartland FC ain Owerri on Saturday.
Bendel Insurance of Benin had also beaten Kwara United of Ilorin 3-1, while Lobi Stars of Makurdi drew 2-2 with visiting Kano Pillars in Lafia.
NAN reports that the league will enter Match Day 14 on Wednesday.(NAN)
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