Sports

Volleyball: Nigeria beat Cameroon at U17 Nations Championship

Published

1 year ago

December 4, 2023

Nigeria defeated Cameroon 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-22) in their second match of the ongoing 2023 Girl’s U17 African Nations Volleyball Championship in Abuja.

The match was played at the indoor sports hall of Moshood Abiola Stadium (Package B) on Monday.

The Nigerian team squandered lots of opportunities in the first set making errors and failed to pick loose balls from the Cameroonian side after leading by 6 to 2 points. Cameroon used their height advantage to block the spikers of Nigeria and eventually won by 25 to 19 points.

Upon resumption of the second set, Nigeria rushed the Cameroonian by 7 to 1 points. The setter, Martha Anebi distributed the ball to Mirabel Onyegwu and Pamela Bawa who both utilized the balls to get vital points. Nigeria cruised to victory winning by 25 to 20 points.

The third set went in favour of Nigeria as the combination of Mirabel Onyegwu, Pamela Bawa and Blessing Anebi punished the Cameroonian. The performance of the girls made the crowd go haywire as Nigeria won 25 to 13 points.

Both teams had equal strength in the fourth set winning point for point till the 20 points before Nigeria took four straight points to reach 24. Cameroon gave a good account of themselves by winning two points but Nigeria got their last point to win 25 to 22 points.

Nigeria is recording its first-ever win since hosting an age-grade Girl’s tournament in Abuja in 2021.

An elated head coach of Nigeria’s team, Sunday Akapson said they can not jubilate yet because they still have matches to play.

“Congratulations to the girls for the work well done, this is just a starting point for us. Nigeria will meet Cameroon again on Wednesday in the semi-final. I want to assure you that the girls will replicate this victory”, he said.

Meanwhile, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod said, “This is the first time Nigeria is winning an under-age tournament in Abuja and the fans as well as lovers of the game feel good.

“I am happy the technical crew worked on the errors of the players and they made Nigerians happy today”

Nigeria lost the opening game against Egypt 0-3 while Cameroon also lost their first game against Egypt 2-3.

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Sports

NSC Hails Nigerian Badminton Team as Eniola Bolaji Strikes Gold, Men’s Doubles Team Secures Bronze in Spanish International Tourney

Published

44 mins ago

March 17, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has applauded the Nigerian contingent at the 2025 Spanish Parabadminton International, after another impressive outing that saw the team secure a gold and a bronze medal in Toledo, Spain, on Sunday.

Paralympic medallist Eniola Bolaji continued her dominance, winning her second gold medal in two weeks with a commanding 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) victory over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz in the women’s SL3 final. Bolaji had won gold a week earlier at the Spanish International in Victoria, Spain.

In the men’s SL4 doubles event, Nnana Jeremiah and Eze Chukwuebuka delivered a strong performance, battling their way to a well-deserved bronze medal.

NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, commended the athletes for making Nigeria proud and praised the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, led by Francis Orbih, for ensuring the team’s optimal performance on the international stage.

“These athletes have once again showcased the resilience and talent that define Nigerian sports. Their success is a lucid indication of their hard work and the strategic leadership we demand from the Badminton Federation and other sports federations. We are proud of them and remain committed to supporting their journey to greater heights,” Dikko said.

Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, emphasized that the achievements align with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of strengthening grassroots sports while ensuring Nigeria competes favorably on the global stage.

“As part of our mandate under President Tinubu’s administration, we are committed to developing talent from the grassroots and supporting our elite athletes to bring home international laurels. The NSC will continue to back the strategic vision of sports federations as we work towards building a strong and sustainable sports ecosystem,” Olopade stated.

Since the National Sports Commission leadership took office, Nigerian contingents have continued to impress internationally including international successes in cricket and basketball recorded thus far. The NSC leadership stated that no stone will be left unturned until Nigerian sports reaches its full potentials.

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