Sports
Ed Sheeran buys stake in EPL club Ipswich Town
Ed Sheeran, the award-winning British singer, has acquired a minority stake in English Premier League (EPL) club Ipswich Town.
The ‘Shape Of You’ hitmaker, who is also a lifelong fan of the Tractor Boys, bought a 1.4% stake in the newly promoted side.
It was gathered that since 2021, the 33-year-old has been a shirt sponsor for the men’s and women’s teams.
In an Instagram post, Sheeran described the acquisition as a “football fan’s dream”, adding that he was “grateful for the opportunity”.
“I am really excited to have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club. It’s any football fan’s dream to be an owner of the club they support, and I feel so grateful for this opportunity,” he wrote.
“I have lived in Suffolk since I was three years old and, while I travel the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of the community and protected.
“It’s such a joy to be a fan of Ipswich Town. There are ups and downs but football is all about taking the highs and the lows. I’m not a voting shareholder or a board member.
“This is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture, so please don’t get onto me with signing suggestions or tactics to play. I’m excited for the Premier League to start this weekend. Let’s go.”
Ipswich Town also confirmed the acquisition via their social media pages.
“Ipswich Town is proud to announce that Ed Sheeran has acquired a minority stake in the Football Club,” the post reads.
“Ed, a lifelong fan who has been the front of shirt sponsor for the Men’s and Women’s teams since 2021, has acquired his shares through Gamechanger 20 Ltd.”
Sports
Ex-boyfriend who set Uganda’s Cheptegei on fire dies from burns
Dickson Ndiema, the man accused of fatally burning Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan athlete, is dead.
According to local authorities, Ndiema, an ex-boyfriend of Cheptegei, died on Monday from burns sustained during the attack on his former partner.
The ex-boyfriend was accused of dousing Cheptegei in petrol and setting her ablaze while she was returning to her house from church in western Trans Nzoia County, Nairobi, on September 1.
The 33-year-old athlete suffered burns on 80 percent of her body and was being treated at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret City, where she died on September 5.
Ndiema also suffered burns from the attack and was also admitted to the hospital for treatment. His injuries were initially considered less critical.
Reports filed by the local chief had said the two ex-lovers had been fighting over a piece of land.
Cheptegei, who lived in Kenya, represented Uganda at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished 44th in the women’s marathon event.
She is the third elite sportswoman to be killed in Kenya in the last three years.
In 2021, Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten. The husband of the 25-year-old was also named the suspect in the murder.
In 2022, Damaris Mutua, another Kenyan-born athlete, was found dead in a house in Iten, and her then-boyfriend was also identified as a suspect.
Sports
Oluwafemiayo breaks para-powerlifting record, wins gold as Nigeria claims 7th medal
Folashade Oluwafemiayo, the Nigerian athlete, has broken her world record in the women’s over 86kg Para-Powerlifting category.
The Team Nigeria captain at the 2024 Paris Paralympics ended the country’s participation at the games by winning a gold medal in the Para-Powerlifting category.
The 39-year-old Tokyo 2020 champion is now the first Para-athlete in history to lift 167kg.
Deng Xuemei of China took silver with 155kg lift while Egypt’s Nadia Ali won the bronze medal with a 145kg lift.
Oluwafemiayo’s achievement brings Nigeria’s overall Paralympic medal tally to seven — two gold, three silver and two bronze.
Onyinyechi Mark won Nigeria’s first gold medal after outlifting her opponents in the Para-Powerlifting finals on Friday.
On Wednesday, Esther Nworgu secured the silver medal in the women’s 41kg Para-Powerlifting event.
Sports
Paris Paralympics: Onyinyechi Mark wins Nigeria’s first gold, sets world record
Onyinyechi Mark has won Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Paris Paralympics after outlifting her opponents in the powerlifting finals.
The 23-year-old prevailed in the women’s up to 61kg category on Friday after she lifted 150kg, setting a new world record in the event.
She overcame the challenge from China’s Cui Jianjin, who won silver after lifting 140 kilograms.
Mexico’s Amelia Perez won bronze, falling 10 kilogrammes behind her Chinese rival after pulsating lift attempts.
Onyiyechi also shattered the Paralympic record with her historic performance at La Chapelle Arena.
Her victory earned Team Nigeria’s third medal at the Paris Paralympics.
On Wednesday, Esther Nworgu won the silver medal in the women’s up to 41kg para-powerlifting event.
Two days before that, Eniola Bolaji also won a bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 badminton event.
Later on Friday, Lucy Ejike will take centre stage when she competes in the women’s up to 67kg category of para-powerlifting.
The 46-year-old veteran has won three Paralympic gold medals for Nigeria and hopes to add another when the competition begins at 4 pm.
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