Olympics
Fatimo Bello eyes maiden Olympics ticket in Kigali
Fatimo Bello shot herself to the international limelight in 2022 when she defied all odds to reach the final of the African Cup, where she eventually lost to Egypt’s Hana Goda.
This performance contributed immensely to her world ranking fortunes; she became the third best player in Africa and the highest-ranked Nigerian female player in the world.
But after the 2022 feat, Bello moved to Italy to continue her professional career, while her inability to repeat her 2022 feet in 2023 affected her ranking, and she dropped down the pecking order in Africa.
However, she has been listed as one of Nigeria’s flagbearers at the African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, and the Lagos State-born athlete believes this is her time to join the league of elite players heading to Paris in July.
“It has not been easy since 2022, but I am still a work in progress with the hope that I will get back to my form. My African Games experience was not impressive at all, and I have that behind me with the hope that I can re-enact my form in Kigali,” she said.
The three-time Nigerian national champion, however, admitted that she expects tough challenges from other players but that she is poised to fight for one of the three tickets at stake. “It is not going to be an easy ride in Kigali because everybody is targeting a place at the Olympic Games, and I will be glad to become one of the new generation of players to compete at the Olympic Games,” she added.
Bello will be joined by Offiong Edem in the women’s category of the Olympic Qualifiers on May 16 to 18, while Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo will compete in the men’s category, as the three top players will secure automatic tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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