Connect with us

Sports

Ibadan To Play Host For 21km International Half-Marathon Race

Published

7 years ago

on

marathon

Efforts are in top gear to host a 21-kilometre international half-marathon race in Ibadan, Abayomi Oke, the State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, said in Ibadan on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the marathon would centre on the city’s seven famous hills, such as Oke Mokola, Oke Ado, Oke Mapo, Oke Aremo and Oke Aare.

NAN reports that the route-mapping exercise for the race was held on Thursday in Ibadan by some officials of the organising body.

The State Commissioner for Youths and Sports said the aim of the race was to showcase the cultural architecture as well as natural aesthetics of Ibadan to the world.

“Government will use the event to positively engage the youths and attract international attention to the beauty of the state capital.

“The idea is to show further that the Ajimobi administration is not just touching lives positively on structural development through urban renewal program, but also adding value to sports and tourism.

“This is for the sake of generating goodwill and economic power,’’ he said.

Oke stated that youths of all categories would participate in the race not just for the prize money but run alongside their mates from Nigeria and abroad.

“The date of the race and prizes for winners of the 21.098km half-marathon race will be announced as soon as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) endorsed them.’’

The commissioner said the event would also put Ibadan in the international calendar of events.

“Details of the event would be announced after the application to AFN and IAAF must have been endorsed.’’

He said the race would be organised on a public private partnership arrangement, adding that the 21km half-marathon race would join the few existing marathon races in Nigeria.

Oke advocated maximum support from private companies and corporate bodies to ensure that the race achieved its desired goals and in line with the pacesetting status of the state.

Similarly, Toye Arulogun, his Information, Culture and Tourism counterpart, said the coverage of seven hills in the race was strategic to viewing the structural distinct of the largest city in Western Africa.

“If you get to the top of any of these hills, you will have a vantage view of any part of the ancient city and its beauty.

“Most of our monuments will be viewed easily from a distance and better with viewing equipments. So, we will showcase Ibadan from all angles with this event.

“I am very sure that the aerial view of the city will attract visitors to come again and again,” he said

Related Topics:

Sports

Juventus ordered to pay Ronaldo €9.7m unpaid salaries

Published

2 days ago

on

April 18, 2024 10:01 am

By

Juventus must pay Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo 9.7 million euros ($10.4 million) in back wages for the 2020-21 season, the Italian courts announced on Wednesday.

The Court of Arbitration, to which Ronaldo appealed, “orders Juventus Turin to pay the sum of 9,774,166.66 euros”, plus interest and procedural costs, it stated in its decision.

The sum equates to the difference between the salary actually received by Ronaldo and that which he should have received after tax and other deductions.

Ronaldo, who spent three seasons in Italy with Juventus (2018-21) before joining Manchester United (2021-22) and then the Saudi club Al Nassr, was claiming 19.5 million euros but the arbitration panel reduced that by 50 per cent.

Contacted by AFP, Juventus declined to comment, but said it would be issuing a statement “shortly”.

According to the rankings drawn up by the American business magazine Forbes, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was the world’s highest-paid sportsman in 2023, with $136 million, including $46 million in wages.

Juventus, who are listed on the stock exchange, recorded losses of 123.7 million euros in the 2022-23 financial year, which ran to the end of June, it announced in October.

No provision has been made in the accounts of Italian football’s most successful club, currently third in Serie A, for the payment of this wages backlog.

Continue Reading

Sports

EPL to adopt semi-automated offside technology next season

Published

7 days ago

on

April 13, 2024 12:19 pm

By

The English Premier League (EPL) says semi-automated offside technology will be used in matches from next season.

The league announced the decision in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The decision was made after a unanimous agreement by all the clubs at a Premier League Shareholders’ meeting.

The technology will be ready for use from the 2024/25 season after the autumn international breaks.

“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks,” the statement reads.

“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.”

The first usage of the semi-automated offside technology in top-level football was at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The offside rule has been subjected to change in recent years, with the video assistant referee (VAR) technology also deployed to assist the on-field officials in checking for offside calls leading to a goal.

The EPL further updated its offside rule in the summer of 2023 to include that “a player who is clearly offside should not become onside on every occasion when an opponent moves and touches the ball.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya sets to break Guinness World Record

Published

7 days ago

on

April 13, 2024 12:17 pm

By

Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya has revealed plans to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

Onakoya who made the plan known on his X account on Friday said that he is “doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education.”

He added that the attempt will hold on April 17th at the New York City’s Times Square and he is to play chess for 58 hours without a single defeat.

He wrote, “On the 17th of April 2024, I will attempt to break the Guiness World record for the longest Chess marathon in the heart of Times Square New York City for 58 hours without losing a game. Doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education.”

Onakoya disclosed that the attempt will start at 10am and would be available for all to stream on YouTube.

He appealed to Nigerians residing in New York, urging them to come forward and provide their enthusiastic support as he strives to establish a new world record.

Tunde Onakoya is renowned for his philanthropic efforts, notably utilizing chess as a tool to offer opportunities for young people residing in the marginalized areas, often referred to as ‘slums,’ within the country.

Continue Reading

Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

Most Read...