The Nigerian Sports Journalists in Diaspora (NSJID) will host its inaugural convention on August 12 and 13 at Greenbelt, Maryland.

Prof Mathias Mordi of School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University is expected to chair the occasion while former Super Eagles player and erstwhile coach of the Super Falcons, Sam Okpodu will serve as a guest speaker alongside Dr. Komolafe Johnson, a Maryland-based medical doctor.

The convention, which theme is ‘The Future of the Nigerian Sports’, is expected to be attended by the creme de la creme of former and current Super Eagles players as well as several sports personalities in Nigeria.

As part of the activities marking the occasion, the Sports Journalists’ association which membership is drawn from the US, Canada and Europe will treat its members to a welcome dinner party at KOF Sports Cafe, located in Bowie, Maryland.

Members of Sports Journalists in Diaspora will also visit historic centers in Baltimore and Washington DC areas.

Part of the historic centers to be visited by the members include Courageous Wax Museum chronicling the lives and times of notable African-Americans sold into slavery, African-American human rights activists, famous athletes and lawyers as well as prototypes of ships that were used to ship Africans to the West during the slave trade of the17th century.

Members will also go on a tour of Washington DC to see the Whitehouse, among others.

Double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge win run the Berlin Marathon in September, aiming for a record-equalling fourth win.

The 37-year-old Kenyan’s last competitive outing was in Tokyo in March, when he won in the fourth-quickest time in history.

Last August in Japan, he became only the third person to defend an Olympic Marathon title. 

Berlin – one of the fastest marathons – takes place on 25 September.

Kipchoge, who made his debut in Berlin in 2013, won in 2015 and 2017 and set a world record of two hours one minute 39 seconds on his most recent appearance in 2018.

Ethiopia great Haile Gebrselassie has won in Berlin a record four times.

“Berlin is the fastest course – it’s where a human being can showcase its potential to push the limits,” Kipchoge said.

He has won 14 of 16 marathons in his career, including two Olympic gold medals and nine other major titles.

Kenya will be represented by Lawrence Cherono, Geoffrey Kamworor and Barnabas Kiptum in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, which begin next week.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set an impressive pace in first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix before qualifying at this ‘sprint’ event.

The world championship leader was 0.255 seconds quicker than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Mercedes’ George Russell was third, a further 0.145secs adrift.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fourth and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton fifth.

Qualifying sets the grid for a short race on Saturday that defines starting positions for the main grand prix.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was sixth fastest, followed by the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso’s Alpine – using the medium tyres while everyone else at the front set their times on the softs.

Haas’ Mick Schumacher and the Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10.

The session featured two red flags, one while Lando Norris’ McLaren was removed after breaking down after Turn Four, and a second because of debris on the track.

It was a difficult session for McLaren. In addition to Norris’ reliability problems, which came quite early on, Daniel Ricciardo was also struggling with an oscillating DRS flap, which it took the team most of the hour to solve.

Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas, who was 14th fastest, will start from the back of the grid as a result of a penalty for using too many engine parts this season.

Former world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, is desperate to win back the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO titles from Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua said he was not satisfied with the current status of the championship belts and he was determined to win them back from the Ukrainian.

“Someone told me:” You have a chance to become a three-time world champion, and I replied that this is not at all the place where you want to be. This is not the way I would advise young people to go. Because you want to hold the titles all the time, be the champion, and not part with them. I really want to return the titles.”

AJ was evidently tired of all the talk around the fight and can’t wait to get back in the ring against the Ukrainian.

“Too much talk for me. Less talk, more action. Just let me get in the ring and do my job. I’m not a comedian, and I’m not a speech writer. I am hungry and desperate to win back the titles,” the boxer said.

Recall that on the night of September 26, 2021, Usyk defeated Joshua in London by unanimous decision, and won the IBF, WBO, WBA, and IBO heavyweight titles. Immediately after that, AJ activated the rematch option specified in the contract for the first fight.

Usyk vs. Joshua will take place on August 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In June, an official announcement of a rematch between the Ukrainian and the British was made.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich could yet make late moves for Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, according to reports in Italy.

With doubts over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski respectively, both clubs are reportedly in the market for a new forward to replace their want-away stars.

And according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, that could mean an attempt to sign the Nigeria international, who is also on the radar of Arsenal.

Napoli are aware of the interest from other clubs, but are not ready to let him leave for any amount less than €100m, having signed him for a club and African record fee of €75m plus add-ons.

Ronaldo has not arrived back for pre-season at United and is reportedly seeking an exit that would leave the Old Trafford side in need of a new striker.

Meanwhile, Lewandowski has made it clear he is determined to leave Bayern and, should that happen, the German champions would need an elite striker to replace him.

Osimhen, who has three years left on his Napoli contract, has netted 24 times and provided eight assists in 51 league appearances for the Naples side.

Last season, Osimhen scored 14 goals and recorded five assists in 27 appearances in the Serie A.

He also netted four goals and one assist in the Europa League, as the Partenopi finished third in Serie A last term, with 79 points from 38 games.

The report also adds that Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti is hopeful he can count on Osimhen for next season but Chelsea forward Armando Broja would be a potential replacement.

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation has listed four debutants in its team for the forthcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games later this month.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games hold from July 28 to August 8.

In the women’s team, 2022 Africa Cup finalist, Fatimo Bello, Esther Oribamise and Ajoke Ojomu are making their debuts at the Games, while Amadi Omeh is the only male player on the list of four making his first appearance at the event.

World No.11 Quadri Aruna will lead Nigeria’s table tennis team comprising of four males and four females to the games.

Reigning African Games champion Omotayo Olajide, Bode Abiodun and Omeh complete the list of male players while Edem Offiong tops the list of women alongside 2022 Africa Cup finalist, Bello, Oribamise and Ojomu.

Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that Offiong, based in Spain, will join up with the rest of her teammates in Birmingham, while the remaining players will fly out from Nigeria. “My aim is to go there and make my country proud and to win a medal, that is why I opted to return back to my base in Granada to intensify my training.”

Bello, 24, Nigeria’s top-ranked women’s player, added, “I’m in good shape at the moment and I believe we will do well in Birmingham. Individually, I’ve been training on my own and I’m confident of my chances.”

She is ranked world No.52 and No.4 in Africa behind Egyptian trio Hana Goda, Mariam Alhodaby and Dina Meshref in the latest WTT rankings for women.