Nigeria and African record holder in the Hammer throw (75.49m ) Annette Echikunwoke has been named among the 151 athletes that will represent the USA on home soil at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 on 15-24 July.

Echikunwoke who first switched allegiance to represent Nigeria in December 2020 won the Hammer throw at the Nigerian Championships in 2021 at the Sports Ground of Yaba College of Technology to seal her qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

The 25 year old was however unable to compete after she failed to undergo three out-of -competition tests mandatory for Nigerian athletes at the Games and all World Athletics series after the classification of the country as a high risk doping nation in 2020.

The disappointed athlete must have made up her mind thereafter to switch allegiance to her country of birth and residence, USA and her desire was granted on June 21, 2022 in accordance with rule 1.4.2 of World Athletics Eligibility rule.

Echikunwoke holds a personal season’s best of 73.76m which she threw to place third at the USATF Outdoor Championships held at the Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon last month and she has been selected as one of the four athletes that will represent Team USA in the women’s hammer throw at the World Championships.

The others are DeAnna Price who qualified via a wild card as the defending champion, Janee Kassanavoid and Brooke Andersen who both met the entry standard for the event.

This will be Echikunwooke’s first participation in a global event after missing the Olympics last year.

The Zambian Football Association [FAZ] said they are working towards a long-term solution to what they feel is ‘stringent’ testosterone testing that ruled out star striker Barbra Banda from Africa Women Cup of Nations.

Banda, 22, was one of four players omitted from Zambia’s final AWCON squad after refusing to undergo hormone suppression treatment, after her testosterone levels were said to be above the Confederation of African Football’s limit for the tournament.

Banda struck back-to-back hat-tricks during Zambia’s debut Olympic campaign in Japan last year, becoming the first woman to achieve the feat, and to net six goals across two matches in the history of the women’s competition.

“Our FA President [Andrew Kamanga] is in Morocco and has been pursuing this matter with his colleagues in CAF,” FAZ communications director Sydney Mungala told ESPN.

“The Barbra case is just one example, but the broader picture is to strive to see how these regulations can be more responsible for the general situation not just Zambia.

“Many players can be affected by these regulations, and football is their livelihood. I think the CAF regulations are a lot more stringent [than Olympic regulations], and they put too much stress on testosterone levels.”

Mungala acknowledged that the Zambian federation were made aware that Banda’s testosterone levels were outside CAF’s guidelines in the aftermath of her star turn at the Olympics, and that a course of hormone suppression was offered to the attacker and the other Zambian players about whom concerns were raised.

“Our medics engaged the players and they weren’t willing to go through with it I think there are possible side effects,” Mungala continued.

“With the players not going down that route and taking up that option, the final decision was that they could not be included in the final list for the competition.”

South African Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya is the most famous case of testosterone rules affecting a sporting career, and she recently told HBO Real Sports about the effects of the testosterone suppression drugs on her body.

Semenya said: “It made me sick, made me gain weight, panic attacks, I don’t know if I was ever going to have a heart attack.

“It’s like stabbing yourself with a knife every day. But I had no choice. I’m 18, I want to run, I want to make it to Olympics, that’s the only option for me.”

Semenya has since refused to take the medication, rather opting to change her distances, and has been in prolonged court battles to have the IAAF rules changed.

Four-time African Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala is in the running for a record fifth award following her nomination by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday.

Oshoala, who has been ruled out of the ongoing Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco due to injury is nominated alongside three of her Super Falcons teammates.

The other three are; goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade and Uchenna Kanu.

The quartet will battle it out with 26 other players for the individual accolade.

Talented forward, Monday Gift has been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award.

Gift and compatriot Maryann Ezenagu are also in the running for the Inter-Club Player of the prize.

Nigeria Women’s Professional Football League (NWPFL) outfit Rivers Angels are among the seven clubs nominated for the
Women’s Club of the Year award.

The award ceremony will take place on the 21st of July.

The LMC have ordered the last two Matchday fixtures of the NPFL 2021-22 season (MD 37&38) to be played simultaneously to devoid match fixing with the topflight league season at home stretch.

The league’s body has fixed Sunday July 10th and 17th for the final two matchdays with the games expected to commence by 4pm across all centres to ensure that fairness takes precedence in those games.

The league body in a press release sent to the clubs and the media says the decision is in pursuance of its stand on fair play and equity for a seamless season conclusion.

Rivers United have already won the league title with three games to spare and have amassed the highest number of points accrued by the champions with 74 points while Plateau United have already captured the second spot with 64 points but the race for the third spot is still very intense with Remo Stars, Kwara United, Enugu Rangers and Enyimba among the frontrunners for the position.

While the battle for the relegation spots is expected to go down the wire with MFM the only that have been confirmed relegated.

Team Nigeria will hope for more medals in Oregon compared to the solitary bronze they won in Doha three years ago

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria  (AFN) selected 22 athletes to represent the country at the World Athletics Championships, which will start July 15 in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Ese Brume and Tobi Amusan are top of the list of selected athletes and are strong medal prospects in the women’s Long Jump and 100m Hurdles events, respectively.

Brume won Nigeria’s only medal-a bronze at the last World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019, and she will aim to become the first Nigerian athlete to win medals at two editions of the World Championships.

For Amusan, who finished just outside the podium in the fourth position in Doha, she will seek to become the second Nigerian sprint hurdler to win a medal at the Championships after Glory Alozie, who won a silver medal in Seville, Spain in 1999.

Amusan is not just the reigning African champion, but also the continent’s record holder. Shot Putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is on the roster of other selected athletes as he seeks to improve his eighth placing in 2019 in Doha

Enekwechi told PREMIUM TIMES in Benin he hopes to at least make it to the final again in Oregon, while also not ruling out himself possibly winning a medal.

“The first target will be to make it to the final once more and see how it goes from there in terms of winning a medal,” the three-time national champion and reigning African king declared.

Enekwechi’s fellow field athletes, Sade Olatoye and Chioma Onyekwere are also on the team to Oregon and will compete in the Hammer throw and Discus throw, respectively.

Both made the team as area champions after winning their respective event at the 22nd African Athletics Championships in Mauritius last month.

New Generation

Favour Ashe, who is Nigeria’s fastest man, reigning World U20 200m champion Udodi Onwuzurike and reigning African Games champion, Raymond Ekevwo, are the athletes that will compete in the 100m event.

Godson Brume and Usheoritse Ese Itsekiri will compete in the 4x100m relay with the three athletes listed for the 100m event.

The new national 400m hurdles record holder, Ezekiel Nathaniel, will make his debut in Oregon.

Another World U20 champion, Imaobong Nse Uko, will also make her debut in Oregon and will compete in the 400m event and the 4x400m mixed relay.

Also debuting at the championships will be national triple jump champion and record holder Ruth Usoro who will compete in both the long and triple jump events.

Patience Okon-George, Knowledge Omovoh, Dubem Amene, Samson Nathaniel, and Sikiru Adeyemi will compete in the 4x400m mixed relay.

Waiver

Though missing in action at the recent National trials in Benin City, Edo State but selected is Favour Ofili. Ofili made it to the semifinal in the 400m event in her debut three years ago at the World Championships.

The 19-year-old will, however, be competing in the 100m and 200m events where the major target will be to become the first Nigerian man or woman to make the podium in the 100m event.

Ofili will be joined by fellow sprinters Rosemary Chukwuma, who was also in Doha in 2019, and Tokyo Olympics 100m and 200m semifinalist, Grace Nwokocha.

For the women’s relay, the rejuvenated Joy Udo-Gabriel will join the three sprinters listed for the 100/200m events and Amusan.

The coaching team includes Kayode Yaya, Gabriel Okon, Esabunor Mavuah and Ken Onuaguluchi.

Despite having lesser nominations compared to South Africa, Nigeria, nonetheless has a strong quartet in the running for the award.

South Africa is fast becoming the new powerhouse in Women’s football in Africa ahead of Nigeria whose grip on the game on the continent is loosening.

Just after the victory over the Super Falcons in their opening group game at the women’s Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa scored another point over Nigeria, this time in the number of nominees for the CAF Women Player of the Year Award.

In the shortlist of nominees released by CAF on Wednesday, six South African players made the shortlist compared to Nigeria’s four nominees.

The six South African players nominated for the continent’s topmost individual award are Andile Dlamini, Bambanani Mbane, Thembi Kgatlana, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Refiloe Jane, and Linda Motlhalo.

Despite having lesser nominations compared to South Africa, Nigeria, nonetheless have a strong quartet in the run for the award.

Asisat Oshoala who is the most decorated African female footballer of all time is on the shortlist.

Already a joint-record four-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year recipient, Oshoala, could solely claim the record if she wins what would be a fifth individual award.

Apart from Oshoala, the trio of Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie are all on the star-studded nomination list

Just like Nigeria, Cameroon also have four of its players nominated while the likes of Ghana and Morocco have three players each making the cut.

Tunisia, Zambia, and Botswana all have two of their players nominated while the remaining four countries have just one player each.

Since it was instituted in 2001, Nigerian players have won the Africa Women’s Player of the Year Award 11 times with Oshoala and Perpetua Nkwocha winning it eight times between them. Cynthia Uwak has also won the award twice

Both South Africa and Ghana have seen their players win the award on two different occasions each while Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea players have both won once each.

It is another day in the hunt for points and Nigeria’s Super Falcons say they are ready to rekindle their campaign for FIFA World Cup ticket and the tournament trophy when they clash with their counterparts from Botswana on Thursday.

The Cup holders suffered a 1-2 defeat to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the opening match of Group C on Monday and know their work is cut out against table-toppers Botswana, who turned back Burundi 4-2 on Monday night.

“We feel bad to have lost the opening match, and against South Africa for that matter, but we have been able to put that behind us. We resolved immediately after the match that we will give what it takes to win all remaining games.

“There is no need for too many words. All we want to do is get the win against Botswana to restore our confidence, and then we can take things from there,” Captain Onome Ebi said on Wednesday.

First choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie returns against the Botswanans after missing the first match due to suspension, and the forced departure of Asisat Oshoala means the vibrant Gift Monday or Mexico-based Uchenna Kanu will start in the fore for the nine-time champions.

Midfield ace Rasheedat Ajibade, who scored the goal against the South Africans, is expected to again be the pivot as the Falcons search for early goals as from 9pm at the Prince Moulay Al-Hassan Stadium.

Coach Randy Waldrum could ring changes in some departments, with Glory Ogbonna likely to take her place at left back to allow the energetic Ashleigh Plumptre return to her accustomed role at centre-back alongside Captain Ebi, while Osinachi Ohale moves to right back.

Victory on Thursday will calm Nigerian nerves and allow the Falcons to look forward to Sunday’s encounter against Burundi with much confidence.

Botswana scored four goals in their opening match on Monday

Will Nigerian football fans go to bed heavy laden tonight? The answer lies in the outcome of the WAFCON duel of the Super Falcons and the rave of the moment – Botswana as the WAFCON Group C gets to match day 2.

Matchtime: 9pm (Nigerian time)

Botswana find themselves in unfamiliar territory on top of Group C ahead of their fixture against the reigning African champions Nigeria in a much-anticipated encounter tonight at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. 

The Mares come into this one looking to maintain their winning ways, though they will face a wounded Super Falcons outfit that is desperate to get some points onto their column on the table standings. 

Botswana head coach Gaoletlhoo Nkutlwisang said ahead of the match: “We fancy a good challenge. One thing for me as a coach, I want to play against the big coaches and for the team, we want to face the best. That motivates us so we will go out there and show who we are as Botswana.” 

Nigeria will be without poster girl and four-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a Grade 2 Medial Collateral Ligament strain against South Africa on Monday. 

Randy Waldrum’s side lost their opening fixture against rivals South Africa 2-1 in a repeat of the 2018 edition opener – a game in which they were outplayed tactically and technically. 

For the American coach, “After the loss, we spent time with the players and regrouped and we are ready for this game. We are ready to get the job done.” 

If the FIFA rankings are anything to go by then Botswana are in for a David and Goliath matchup, but Nkutlwisang says “We are going to focus on ourselves and get ready to face whichever players Nigeria sends onto the pitch.”

Botswana are ranked 152nd in the world and 31st on the continent behind Nigeria who are ranked first on the continent and 39th in the world. 

The game will be played at Moulay Hassan in Rabat, Morocco at 21h00 local time.