CMSPORTS

The 2019 African Table Tennis Championships begin on Thursday August 1 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun in Lagos. The bi-annual tournament which was hosted in 2017 in Agadir, Morocco, has Egypt's Alhy as the defending champions in the men and women events. For the first time, the number of teams increased to eight with Nigeria, Egypt, Togo, Senegal and Rwanda competing in the two events. In the draw conducted, men's number one seed, ENPPI of Egypt has been drawn in Group A alongside Benin's Unversite d'Abomey Calavi, Congo DRC's APC Spin and Remo Stars of Nigeria. Group B has SOJ TT Club of Nigeria as well as Togo's Club Avenir, Ethiopia's Commercial Bank and Rwanda's Vision TT. Women's defending champion and number one seed, Alhy of Egypt has been drawn in Group A with Nigeria's G20 and Senegal's Club International of Dakar. In Group B, Nigeria's Cannan Queen has to compete against Congo DRC's APC Spin and ...

2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open: India’s Ghosh eyes international comeback in Lagos Soumyajit Ghosh has been out action for more than a year and the Indian star is heading to Lagos for the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open with the sole aim of reclaiming his place in the Indian national team. The Indian star was Aruna Quadri’s nemesis at the 2015 World Championship in China when he defeated the Nigerian in the first round of the men’s singles and also Ghosh’s records as the youngest Indian player to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics and the youngest Indian national champion at 19 remain intact. The 2017 Chile Open champion is really eager to get back to international scene and he hopes to use the Nigeria Open to regain his confidence on table. “I am very happy to participate in the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open, as I have heard a lot about the tournament but never got an opportunity and finally this time I will be part of it in Lagos,” he said. Narrating w...

Bunmi Oladeji shone like a million star in Dream Stars Ladies' 0-1 loss to Edo Queens at home. The Central Defender marshalled the defense with style, panache and good positional play with her impeccable ability to snuff out danger. She didn't put any foot wrong for the duration of the match. She was also voted Player of the match by some section of our supporters at the Agege Stadium. In The 65th minute she made a vital block to deny Grace Henry the chance to increase Edo Queens lead. In her short words, the Chairperson of NWPL during the match said: "this girl is good", a statement to confirm her capabilities to represent the country at a bigger stage. Dream Stars Ladies will on Wednesday visit Fufure, Yola, to lock horns with Adamawa Queens at the Atiku Abubakar Stadium, Fafure.

African cadet champion, Taiwo Mati is the surprise inclusion in Team Nigeria for the 2019 ITTF Africa Cup serves off on August 3 to 5 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. Mati, who also emerged as the best male player at the All African Games trials was at the weekend crowned the national U-21 champion, will be making his senior international debut at the continental showpiece which is the qualifying tournament for the 2019 ITTF World Cups. Taiwo Mati The five-man team will be led by African champion Aruna Quadri while others are Bode Abiodun, Segun Toriola and Olajide Omotayo. According to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), the inclusion of Mati in the team became necessary in order to expose the youngster to international competition tournament at senior level. The Ondo State-born southpaw believes he has the capacity to step into the shoes of Aruna Quadri, whom he described as a role model to young players in the country. Quadri as th...

Nigeria will be competing in for honours in 23 events at the 2019 All Africa Games holding in Rabat, Morocco, on August 19 to 31. At the 2015 edition in Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria featured in 21 events to finish in top five of the multi-sports fiesta. But this year, the country will compete in more events to claim more medals and remain among the top rated nations in Morocco. Nigeria is expected to compete in athletics, football, table tennis, tennis, wrestling, weightlifting, badminton, judo, beach volleyball, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, gymnastics, golf, handball, karate, rowing, shooting, swimming, basketball, handball and taekwondo. Also, most federations already listed for the games have started submitting their preliminary list to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in readiness for camping which would commence next month. Also, the organizers of the games have decided to pick 3X3 format in the basketball event of the games. In 2015, 573 athletes represented N...

President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel has revealed that the NOC is committed to uplifting sports administration in the country to global standards through the continuous education of sports administrators. President, Nigeria Olympic Committee Gumel, made this known at the opening of the Nigeria Association for Physical Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) sports administration course currently going on at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The refresher course is organized under the auspices of the Olympic Solidarity and it aims to improve interpersonal relationships and communications by providing sports opportunities for both the young and old. Gumel, an IOC member explained further, the need to ensure the success of the program by providing support and monitoring of the participants. In similar vein, Olabanji Oladapo, NOC Secretary General in his remark stated that there is a need for active collaboration on the effort...

Dream Stars Ladies Of Lagos have unveiled  Twenty Nine players for the 2018/2019 Nigeria Women Premier League season. The unveiling which took place at  JJT park in Lagos. The players expressed their delight to be part of the Lagos based team as they look forward to the start of the new season. "We had fun at the unveiling, we were all excited to be at the venue, it was really beautiful. "We are ready to give our best to achieve our objectives" Goalkeeper, Onyekachi Eze told Dream Stars Ladies Media. Similarly, Dream Stars Ladies Captain, Judith Nwaogu also praised the club for organizing the unveiling  In a different way "It was a cool outing for all of us, we all had fun. "We want to appreciate the management for putting it together" We are ready to repay the  management's support by giving our best in the NWPL. The Players A total of Twenty nine players were unveiled, led by the Captain, Judith Nwaogu and Vice Captain, An...

Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open: Players relish Lagos experience at Nigeria Open. Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open: Players relish Lagos experience at Nigeria Open Lagos has registered itself among the cities that is fans’ friendly. The city has now been regarded as the ‘Mecca of table tennis in Africa’ considering its huge fans presence whenever it hosts the annual Seamaster ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open. A tournament which started as a pilot competition in 2013 has now grown to become one of the pioneer tournaments in the ITTF Challenge Plus. From the few numbers of countries that featured in the 2014 edition, hundreds of players from 32 national associations are expected to converge in the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria - Lagos for the five-day tournament. Among the players that had graced the tournament and are still eager to be part of its are Antoine Hachard of France, Mudit Dani of India and Sarah De Nutte of Luxembourg. For Mudit...

Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open: Austria, Germany lead 30 others to Lagos. Defending Champion of the ITTF Nigeria Open, Aruna Quadri with his trophy. It is an appreciable improvement again in 2019 as Germany, Austria and 30 other countries will be represented at the Seamaster ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open from August 7 to 11 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. Over 171 players made up of 105 men and 66 women have been confirmed for the tournament with European teams dominating the list with 17 countries from the continent being led by top table tennis playing nations - Austria, Germany and France. Others are Belgium, Croatia, England, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Sweden. Nigeria and Egypt will be leading the African teams while others expected are Algeria, Benin Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Congo DRC, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa. Brazil will re...

Super Eagles Gaffer; time to look inward. By: KAZEEM AJIBOLA S. Years ago I advocated for our indigenous coaches to be sponsored by NFF on a Refresher course overseas, the condemnation and indignation remarks towards my stance was ridiculously appalling. Now, within our noses, an 'overpampered' 66yrs old Gernot Rohr who is on $47,000 monthly wage, who was employed based on his acclaimed 'superior knowledge and experience compare to our Local coaches' would tentatively be on a jolly ride to his native country Germany for a Refresher course in Bayern Munich that'll be exclusively sponsored by the NFF. Coach Emmanuel Amunike Emmanuel Amunike and Imama Amapakabo readily comes to mind when you think about the coaches that should take over and sparehead our National team coaching crew. Amunike did creditable well when given the opportunities to managed our cadet team winning the U17 world cup in 2015. His name has been written in the history book in far away ...

Dynamic African Stars Benin Trialist gets Euro Invite. CHISOMAGA MICHAEL NGOKA DURING TRIAL IN BENIN Chisomaga Michael Ngoka has become the first trialist from the Benin zone to secure an European invitation courtesy of Dynamic African Stars Limited. The 16 year old has just received an invitation for trials with FC Slovácko, a Czech Republic 1st Division football clubside established in 1927 and based in the town of Uherske Hradiste. Also read: https://cmsportz.blogspot.com/2019/07/edo-sports-commission-welcome-dynamic.html?m=1 The young lad who is about embarking on a potential life changing trials was among the 7 players picked from the Mo Muhammed Mustapha led Dynamic African Stars talent hunt at the Edo State leg which was held in Benin and may end up becoming only the 2nd Nigerian to play for the former Czech domestic cup finalists after Thomas Sowunmi in 2005. The co-ordinator of the Edo State leg, Mr Newton Fred Erhunmwunse gleefully announced over the phone tha...

Amid Pomp and Pageantry Crescent Sports Club Benin Celebrates President At 52. 12 years ago, he was denied the highest honour at the club. He took it on the shin, he wore his heart on his sleeves but he continued as a due paying and loyal member of the club. It's the year 2019, he is President, he has been since 2018 and probably, for many years to come. The story of the birthday one, Edward Aibangbee, a Barrister at law who turned 52 years of age. It was RSVP, Rice and Stew Very Plenty plus too much to drink and even to take home as the President celebrated his turning a year older at the Crescent Sports Club. As a pointer to what was coming, the President XI defeated the Grand Patron XI 2-1 in a keenly contested game of two halves to open the proceedings after which the club house bar and Resto was declared open for all you can eat and drink. Barrister Edward Aibangbee himself who was supposed to close the proceedings was overwhelmed and exhausted at the same time. ...

Edo Sports Commission Welcome Dynamic African Stars as Africa Biggest Scouting Trial Begins in Benin. The much anticipated Africa biggest football scouting try-out finally kickstarted at the UNIBEN sports complex, Benin-City over the weekend with an unprecedented large turn out of players, coaches, parents and spectators as the event was declared open by the Chairman Edo State Sports Commission, Mr Godwin Dudu-Orumen. The talent hunt programme had initially suffered a 10 day postponement due to VISA hitches encountered by some of the invited European scouts but according to the spokesperson of the event,  Wole Opatola, the scouting trial which is endorsed by the African Football Legends and the Edo State Football Association took off successfully on Friday in Benin-City with eminent personalities and sports veterans on hand to welcome the General Coordinator of Dynamic Africa Stars, Mo Muhammed Mustapha, Event Director, Fred Newton Erhumwunse as well as the local ...