Nigeria Premier League

Jepchirchir Clinches Gold as Kenya Sweep the Podium in Women’s Half Marathon at World Road Running Champs

Published

12 months ago

October 2, 2023

Olympic champion Peres Jepchir showed a character of a champion when she sprinted to victory a in women’s half marathon to lead a Kenyan podium sweep at World Road Running Championships in Latvia, Riga.

Jepchirchir clocked a course record of 1:07:25 to beat compatriot Margaret Chelimo who clinched silver in 1:07:26 while Catherine Reline took bronze in 1:07:34.

“I wanted to win three times and make history, and thank God I have made it,” said Jepchirchir. “It was my birthday this week and I told my husband I would work extra hard to get the win.”

Jepchirchir led Kenya to a decisive victory in the team title, their first since 2016, when they also swept the medal positions. Their top three had a cumulative time of 3:22:25, with Ethiopia second with 3:27:55 and Great Britain and Northern Ireland claiming bronze with 3:29:15.

“I am so happy for team Kenya,” said Jepchirchir. “I knew we would sweep this as a team because I trust my colleagues so much.”

On a cool, sunny afternoon in the Latvian capital, Jepchirchir once again played a very patient game, the Olympic marathon champion and women-only half marathon world record holder content to let the pace remain steady through much of the race, knowing she possessed a gear no one else could live with when it counted most.

The early pace was relatively pedestrian, with a group of 22 hitting the 5km mark clustered together, led by Britain’s Samantha Harrison in 16:25. But that pack began to whittle soon after, with a group of eight passing 10km in 32:19.

Jepchirchir, Chelimo Kipkemboi and Reline Amanang’ole took turns at the front soon after, with British duo Harrison and Calli Thackery also putting in a shift in the breezy conditions. But in the third quarter, Harrison and Thackery began to lose contention while the Kenyans started to apply pressure up front, Amanang’ole passing 15km in 48:33 and six athletes left in the battle for the podium positions.

That was soon down to five, with Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray dropping away. Jepchirchir ran at the back of the pack as they approached 20km, marking her opponents’ every move. But as they ran through the old town and back towards the finish, alongside the River Daugava, Jepchirchir began to take closer order, with just one Ethiopian, Tsigie Gebreselama, sandwiched among the four Kenyans.

The 20km mark, reached in 1:04:20, was Jepchirchir’s cue to make her first big effort, surging to the front and quickly checking the effect on her rivals, with only her compatriot Irine Jepchumba Kimais dropping away. But with Kipkemboi soon taking up the pace, the Kenyans swiftly had what they wanted – with Gebreselama dropping off the leading trio.

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

View all posts

Nigeria Premier League

Godswil Akpabio United Football Club Births In Akwa Ibom

Published

4 days ago

September 16, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Godswil Akpabio United Football Club Births In Akwa Ibom

A new Football Club known as “Godswill Akpabio United Football Club“has birthed in Akwa Ibom State.

The Club is registered with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and is affiliated with the Akwa Ibom State Football Association to participate in the 2024/2025 Nigerian National League.(NNL).

Players and officials of the club will soon be recruited ahead of the season

Leading officials of the team on a courtesy call on the State FA at the Uyo Township Stadium on Monday, the General Manager of the newly formed team, Mr Kufre Inima (Kokoty) said the Godswil Akpabio United Football Club is formed to galvanize unity and love among Akwa Ibom youths as well as expose hidden talents to the National and International lamplight.

While promising to work in synergy with the State FA, Inima said, “our target is to qualify to the NPFL next season”.

Responding, the Chairman of the State FA, Mr Sameul Umoh commended the management of the club for deeming it necessary to identify with the Football body in the state.

Mr Umoh encouraged the team officials to register quality players that will execute the league and promised to support all the teams that are affiliated with the State FA to succeed.

In attendance were members of the Board of the state FA.

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

View all posts

Nigeria Premier League

Rangers Unveil Nwosu As Youth Team Coach

Published

2 weeks ago

September 3, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Rangers Unveil Nwosu As Youth Team Coach

In its effort to make Rangers International F.C a true professional side and meet up with one of its cardinal strategic plans of community social impact, the management of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ have engaged and unveiled coach Felix Nwosu as the head coach of Rangers Youth Team.

The widely travelled young gaffer put pen to paper, Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at the club’s corporate head office with the mandate to comb the nook and crannies of the state to build a strong team of young talents that can graduate into the main team already with playing culture and philosophy of the club.

Coach Nwosu, who has a CAF C coaching licence, had earlier in his career, handled such clubs as; F.C Talanta of Kenya, Heegan S.C of Somali, Ambassador Youth Club of Enugu, DreamStars Ladies F.C of Lagos, Right2Win S.C of Umuahia, BYT Academicals F.C of Lagos, GreenFoot Ladies of Enugu and Delta Force F.C of Asaba.

Speaking after his contract signing, coach Felix Nwosu, said, “I am happy to be here. Everyone knows that Rangers is a very big club in Africa and beyond and I am so delighted to be part of what is happening and there is already progress in Rangers. I am just here to solidify the great things that has been happening and make sure that I get more things into the team and make sure that the name of the team is sustained.”

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

View all posts

Nigeria Premier League

Ebi Egbe Lauds Elegbeleye, Aluo On Improved Fortunes Of Nigerian Football

Published

3 months ago

June 11, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Renowned sports facility construction expert, Ebi Egbe, has expressed his satisfaction with the improved standards of the Nigerian football league, particularly, the NPFL and the NNL, ably led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and George Aluo respectively.

According to Egbe, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Monimitchelle Sports Facilities Company, Elegbeleye, has turned the NPFL to an attractive brand and with huge crowds coming back to watch the matches.

“I’m very impressed with what Hon. Elegbeleye is doing with the NPFL. Standards of matches have improved tremendously and importantly, the crowds are coming back to the stadium to watch their favourite teams.”

Egbe was equally effusive in praises for the Chairman of the NNL, George Aluo, who he commended for bringing vitality and improved organisation to the NNL.

“And without a doubt, George Aluo, has improved the organisation and standard of the league. The ongoing NNL Super 8 is a testament to the fact that the league can only get better,” Egbe said.

He went ahead to admonish well placed individuals and corporate organisations to give more supports to the Nigerian local football bodies.