Sports

Anyanacho Heads To Beirut For Last Event Before Tokyo Olympics

Published

4 years ago

June 17, 2021

Editor

Tokyo Olympics-bound Elizabeth Anyancho has departed for Lebanon to participated in the World Taekwondo G-2 ranked Beirut Open, scheduled to hold 19 – 21 June 2021 at the Stade Nouhad Naufal, in Beirut, Lebanon.

The ranked event is the last competitive event on the World Taekwondo calendar before the Olympic games kicks off next July.

22-year-old Elizabeth, who is travelling with her technical crew aboard Ethiopia airlines, will be competing in the female -67kg category.

Eleven fighters are registered to participate in the same category, including three other qualified athletes to Tokyo Olympics – former world champion, Ruth Gbagbi of Cote D’Ivoire, current African champion Hedaya Malak of Egypt and Julyana Al-Sadeq of Jordan.

Elizabeth has defeated the African Champion, Egypt’s Hedaya, at the semi-finals of the African Taekwondo Champs in Dakar a fortnight ago, before narrowly losing to the former world champion, Ruth Gbagbi in the finals of the same event.

Speaking before departure, Anyanacho promised to use the Beirut Open as the

“I have constantly improved over the past months as the Olympic got closer, and I am going to Beirut to execute the moves we have worked so hard on during training. The matches will be tough but I am ready for the challenge.”

Ranking earned at the Beirut open might include the draws that will take place at the Tokyo Olympics, given that 100% seeding will be deployed at the much-anticipated Games.

The event is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports as one of the preparatory events of Elizabeth Anyanacho, Nigeria’s first woman in 16 years to qualify for the Olympics in Taekwondo.

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Sports

Nigeria Customs Service Embarks on Training Tour

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

As part of preparations for the 2025 African Women’s Club Championship, the Nigeria Customs Service women’s volleyball team has embarked on a training tour in Benin Republic.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from April 1 to 14 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The team departed for Benin Republic on Wednesday.

The Sports Secretary of the Nigeria Customs Service, Samuel Onikeku, appreciated the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for approving the training tour.

He emphasised that the tour would allow the players and coaching crew to assess their level of preparedness for the upcoming championship.

Onikeku expressed confidence in the team’s potential to make a strong impression at the tournament, citing the support received from the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly through the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON.

He said, “The volleyball team has traveled to Benin Republic for a 10-day training tour. The players have been in camp since February, and this tour will provide them with an opportunity to compete against teams outside the country.

“I want to appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for approving this training tour.

“During the training tour, Nigeria Customs Service will take on strong opponents from Benin Republic, Ghana and Togo.

“The support we received from Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON, has been tremendous, and the team is committed to making the country proud.”

He said the service is determined to better their position after finishing fourth place in 2021.

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