Olympics
Fierce rivalries ready to be renewed on Paris 2024 Athletics track
Jamaica and the United States will renew their sprint rivalry at the Stade de France, as old grudges bubble to the surface across the Paris Olympics athletics programme which kicks off this week.
The track and field events at the Tokyo Olympics may be better remembered for good sportsmanship than bitter feuds, as the world came together in the face of a global pandemic to carry out the COVID-delayed Games.
Not so in Paris where the masks, and the gloves, are off.
U.S. world champions Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson are set to collide with a host of talented newcomers and established stars from longstanding rival Jamaica in the 100 metres.
“Rivalries have to be nurtured correctly – if they happen too often, then people get bored. If they happen too few, then again people get disappointed,” said Lyles.
“It’s something that has to be intentional, for sure. But at the same time, both parties have to agree with it.”
Jamaica’s men were absent from the Tokyo final but are fully expected to make a big impact this time around.
Rising star Oblique Seville handed Lyles his only 100 metres defeat of the season in Kingston last month, while Kishane Thompson captured the pre-Olympic spotlight with a 9.77 seconds world lead at the Jamaican national championships.
The rivalry resumes on the women’s side too after the U.S. struggled to make an impact in Tokyo without Richardson, who was denied a place at the Games due to a positive cannabis test.
America’s brightest hope of ending a 28-year gold medal drought in the women’s event, she will compete alongside Jamaica’s 2008 and 2012 Olympics 100 metres gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and five-time medallist Shericka Jackson.
“If the Americans are in the field, I’m sure that the Jamaicans are like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to bring my A-game’,” Gail Devers, the last U.S. woman to win the 100 metres after she took gold in Atlanta, told Reuters.
“And (it’s) the same way with the U.S.”
‘THE NEXT GUY’
In the men’s 1,500 metres, defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen resumes his feud with Britain’s Josh Kerr, who denied him the world championship crown last year.
The two have traded barbs since Budapest, with the Norwegian calling Kerr “just the next guy” and saying he expects his trip to Paris will be a breeze.
Kerr got the better of Ingebrigtsen in their last meeting over the mile at the Prefontaine Classic in May, and it will be game on Paris.
“The headlines will be me versus him but I will be racing those other guys on the line too. I’m the best in the world,” Kerr said in remarks reported by the Daily Record.
“I’m looking to go to war.”
The old foes in the 400 hurdles – Norwegian world record holder Karsten Warholm, American Rai Benjamin and Brazilian Alison dos Santos – will get a rematch after finishing first, second and third on the podium in Tokyo.
The trio’s rivalry intensified after Tokyo, as Dos Santos claimed gold at the world championships in Eugene in 2022 and Warholm won in Budapest last year.
American Benjamin has vowed to make an impact in Paris.
“Paris is going to be madness. I have to win there. I believe I can do it,” he told reporters after beating his two adversaries at the Monaco Diamond League earlier this month.
The Olympic athletics programme kicks off on Aug. 1.
-Reuters
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.
Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.
The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.
Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.
The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.
For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.
Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.
While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.
The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.
Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.
The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.
Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Côte d’Ivoire End Ecuador’s Record Unbeaten Run
Amad’s Late Strike Gives Côte d’Ivoire Dramatic Victory Over Ecuador
Iran Arrive in Los Angeles for Historic and Highly Charged World Cup Opener
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- International Football1 week ago
Eriksen Suffers Fresh Collapse During Denmark Friendly, Reviving Memories of Euro 2020 Ordeal
- World Cup1 week ago
Pelé’s 1970 World Cup Hideaway Becomes Tourist Attraction as Mexico Hosts Tournament for Record Third Time
- Uncategorized1 week ago
Iran World Cup squad still in visa limbo 10 days before first match, ambassador says
- World Cup1 week ago
Strike Threat Looms Over USA-Paraguay World Cup Match at SoFi Stadium
- World Cup1 week ago
Iran’s World Cup team arrive in Tijuana with US tensions high
- International Football7 days ago
Iwobi Salutes Nigerians Ahead of Landmark 100th Super Eagles Appearance
- World Cup1 week ago
Nine injured in shooting near England’s World Cup base camp
- World Cup1 week ago
Iran World Cup players granted visas to enter the US, says White House official