Other Sports
ARUNA, OMOTAYO, OTHERS FOR WTT TOURNAMENTS IN QATAR
Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo are among the top African stars listed for the first official events of the World Table Tennis (WTT) in Qatar on March 3 to 13.
The two events which have $600,000 as prize money will take place at Lusail Sports Arena in Doha.
According to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the Middle East Hub will feature two tiers of the new WTT event structure with WTT Contender Doha kick-starting the tournament before players move onto the first WTT Star Contender event the following week, providing the perfect preparation for some of the world’s leading stars to be challenged by the best up-and-coming athletes in table tennis.
Aruna who is the highest rated African in the world ranked 21 will join world-class talent set to light up Doha in the men’s events such Xu Xin (China, world-ranked 2), Tomokazu Harimoto (Japan, WR 5), Hugo Calderano (Brazil, WR 6) and Lin Yun-Ju (Chinese Taipei, WR 7). Other elite players taking to the table, including Mattias Falck (Sweden, WR 8), Jang Woojin (Korea Republic, WR 11) and Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Germany, WR 12) in the men’s draw.
However, Omotayo, Taiwo Mati and Nurudeen Hassan have been listed to compete in the qualifiers for WTT Contender Doha from February 28 to March 2 with successful players listed for the main event on March 3 to 6.
Omotayo is expected to fight for a place in the main event from the qualifiers while Mati and Hassan are among the reserve players to be considered after the list of players have been finalised by the organisers.
Aruna being one of the top 10 players in the world listed for the two events will start his campaigns from the main event of the championships.
The WTT Contender event will feature a singles main draw of 32 players per gender and 16-pair doubles per gender and in the mixed doubles.
The qualifying draw will feature 96 players per gender in the singles and 32 pairs in the mixed doubles with $200,000 as prize money.
The qualifying round of the WTT Star Contender Doha will commence on March 6 to 7 while the main event will hold from March 8 to 13.
The WTT Star Contender event will consist of a singles main draw of 48 players per gender and 16-pair doubles per gender and in the mixed doubles.
The qualifying draw will feature 64 players per gender in the singles and 32 pairs in the mixed doubles while the prize money is $400,000.
Other Sports
Stolen Ferrari Recovered Almost 30 Years Later –
A Ferrari Testarossa sports car stolen from Austrian Formula One driver Gerhard Berger during the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix weekend has been recovered by London police almost 29 years later.
The Metropolitan Police said on Monday the red F512M, worth some 350,000 pounds ($444,325.00), was tracked down in four days after Ferrari reported it was the one being sold through a British broker to a U.S. buyer.
Police enquiries found it was shipped to Japan shortly after being stolen from the Italian city of Imola and then arrived in Britain in late 2023.
The Organised Vehicle Crime Unit said enquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made.
A second silver Ferrari F355 that belonged to Berger’s French former team mate Jean Alesi, which was stolen on the same weekend in the Italian city, remains missing.
Alesi finished second in the race won by Williams’ Damon Hill with Berger third, in the Ferrari drivers’ final season at the Italian team before the arrival of Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine.
Berger had caught the thief in the act of stealing his car but after jumping clear and then giving chase in a friend’s Volkswagen Golf, according to a news report at the time, was unable to prevent it from getting away.
-Reuters
Other Sports
Bayelsa State are National Para Games champions
The resounding success of the 2nd edition of the National Para Games culminated in an exhilarating and grand closing ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The week-long celebration of talent, resilience, and sportsmanship concluded on December 14th, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of para sports in Nigeria.
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, lauded the remarkable display of talent and dexterity exhibited by the para athletes throughout the Games. Expressing his delight, he commended the spirit of competition and the dedication of all participants.
“The National Para Games have once again showcased the incredible abilities and unwavering spirit of our para athletes,” Senator Enoh said. “The level of talent and determination displayed by these athletes is truly inspiring. They embody the essence of sportsmanship and perseverance.”
“Through sports, we celebrate unity, resilience, and determination. The National Para Games have proven to be a platform that not only showcases exceptional talent but also fosters inclusivity and breaks barriers.”
From December 8th to 14th, the stadium played host to representatives from all 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The atmosphere was charged with excitement as athletes showcased their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit, captivating audiences and leaving spectators in awe.
Bayelsa State emerged as the champions of the Games, winning 30 gold, 24 silver and 20 bronze medals. Abia, Kano Lagos, and Oyo states completed the top five in that order. Their athletes’ dedication and outstanding performances solidified their position at the pinnacle of para sports excellence.
The closing ceremony was a spectacle of pomp and pageantry, featuring captivating performances, cultural displays, and heartfelt tributes to the athletes who epitomized perseverance and triumph over adversity.
As the curtains drew to a close on this momentous occasion, the legacy of the National Para Games continues to inspire a new era of inclusivity, empowerment, and recognition for para athletes across Nigeria.
Other Sports
A football club gets record! Sixteen yellow cards in a game
A Czech football club playing in the lowest division has made the sports pages across the country after 16 of its players were booked at the same time last weekend.
TJ Sokol Upohlavy’s players decided to make a splash as they were trailing TJ Sokol Libochovany 6-0 in their game in the lowest district tier last Saturday.
When Martin Blizil scored to make it 6-1 in the 82nd minute, all 11 of the team’s players on the pitch took off their shirts in celebration – a deed punishable by a yellow card.
Five substitutes came off the bench to celebrate with them, also taking off their shirts and earning a booking.
“The last game didn’t really go our way, but our players maybe set a world record,” the team said on Facebook after losing the game 6-2 in the end.
“When you underperform, what’s left is a sense of humour.”
The referee did not book each player individually – also because with the players’ shirts off, he could not see the numbers.
But he did enter the bookings in the match report. The transcript, with a yellow rectangle next to each Upohlavy player’s name, has since gone viral on local social media.
The village of Upohlavy, where the club is based, has a population of 276 people and lies about 50 kilometres northwest of the Czech capital Prague.
–AFP
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