Athletics
BULLDOZERS MOVE INTO NATIONAL STADIUM LAGOS
As expected, the Ministry of Youth and Sports commenced the demolition of illegal structures within the National Stadium from yesterday following the inability of lobbyists to save their properties.
According to Thisday newspaper in Nigeria, over 120 structures mostly food kiosks, food vendor shops and sports shops that are not in the initial master plan of the edifice are been demolished and the ‘short’ exercise will end tomorrow (Friday) which will form phase one of the reformation the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare promised to bring to sports sector.
The National Stadium in Lagos was iconic and tourist attraction when it was opened on 4 December 1972. It had however seen its better days as it became derelict.
Recently, the Nigerian government through the Ministerial Implementation Committee of the Sports Ministry gave all the affected owners 14 days ultimatum before the bulldozers commence final demolition which expired on Monday 1st September, 2020.
It was also gathered that some shop owners have reportedly been putting pressure on the sports ministry to stop officials of the Implementation committee from doing the needful but it yielded no dividend.
“The Sports Minister had secured the permission of President Muhammed Buhari before taken this holistic decision which many before him failed to do,” a top official from Abuja informed Thisday.
Since 2004, the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, has been abandoned with virtually all aspects of the complex, including the seats, tartan tracks, turf and the media centre in bad state.
The state of the edify made some entrepreneurs to transform the ‘Sports City’ as its fondly referred to into business venture when numerous drink bars/joints emerged to give the 4-year old monument a ‘life’ line as it became a meeting point for business meetings during day time and to lovers and corporate men and women a relaxation arena in a bid to avoid rush hour madness on Lagos roads at night.
Interestingly, majority of the occupants (shop owners) have legitimacy to the spaces they occupied because they all have receipts to back up their stay which they have committed annually.
As at yesterday, all the stalls under the ramps leading to the main bowl of the complex have been demolished while offices in same areas harbouring some association affiliated to government were given the boot as well.
However, while most the sports related shops and offices were marked for demolition, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos Chapter were spared in the exercise mainly because they are partners in sports development according to the report of the committee.
On assumption of office last year, Sports Minister, Dare had made it clear that the stadium which has been abandoned for long was not constructed for business purpose outside sports.
Dare in a statement through his official twitter handle had announced the inauguration of a Task Force which was to regulate the activities of business activities at sports facilities across the country.
“Today, I inaugurated the task Force on the verification of the businesses in the National Stadium Surulere. This is a first step towards the reopening of the stadium but also meant to restore some sanity to the stadium ahead of the concession.
Dare said the measure was part of the lager plan to concession the stadium via a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The Task Force, it was gathered completed its assignment under three weeks during which all the occupants were screened and the aftermath led to the ongoing demolitions.
The stadium was built during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon in December of 1972 towards the hosting of the 2nd African Games the following year. Since then, it has played host to many important events including the African Cup of Nations in 1980 and 2000, FIFA Under-20 finals in 1999, African Athletics Championship and outside sports, it staged the ‘controversial’ FESTAC 77.
It has been a training ground for athletes but in the last 15 years, it was reduced to staging Inter House Sports mainly by private schools and other novelty events.
However, with most of the food vendors out of the premises, it is not clear the adequate provisions that would be made for genuine athletes, crowd and staff of the Sports Ministry in area of feeding considering the fact that the vendors in no small way broke monopolistic tendency of just few or one approved restaurant as the case is likely going to be.
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
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