SPORT - The African Mirror

Feb

24

2021

Basketball; Africa’s Best of Best

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO ALAS, the African Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) qualifiers have come to a conclusion. The drama and talent on show intoxicated fans, leaving eyes wanting as we await the Afrobasket finals in Kigali, Rwanda. In the enthusiasm for what is to come, The African Mirror brings you the stand-out performers from the tournament held in Tunisia and Cameroon. Salah Mejri (Tunisia) Mejri’s presence on the floor cannot be understated, defensively and offensively, the Tunisian has been his team’s pivot. If you needed an indication as to how impactful the center has been Tunisia have yet to lose a game throughout…

Jul

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Hamilton chases 99th win at home Grand Prix

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO SILVERSTONE circuit provided an atmosphere like no other as North-London born Lewis Hamilton breathed life into the Formula one World Championship fight. After receiving a 10-second penalty at the start of the race a collision with pole-sitter Max Verstappen, Hamilton fought back resiliently, passing Charles Leclerc on lap 50. Leclerc had led every lap of the race after the restart following the incident between Hamilton and Verstappen on lap one. The second sector altercation between Verstappen and Hamilton triggered a red flag due to severe damage to the tyre barrier. Leclerc led off the line maintaining his lead…

Feb

22

2021

By The African Mirror

Cometh the hour, cometh Kenya

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO WITH five seconds left in the final quarter Angola held on to a slight 73-72 lead over Kenya. The lead looked safe until the captain of Kenya’s national team, Morans, Tylor Ongwae stepped up and scored the shot that would send Kenya to their first African basketball championship (Afrobasket) - after 28 years of waiting. Kenya, spearheaded by head coach Liz Mills, have looked re-energized throughout the second window of the Afrobasket qualifiers and the statement win over an African titans Angola was the exclamation point. They have now qualified for their fourth Afrobasket tournament after defeating the…

Feb

27

2021

By The African Mirror

It’s all systems go for Perez and Red Bull

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO MAN met the machine. The machine was both powerful and colourful. The acquaintances took a few laps and the man pronounced himself ready for probably the biggest challenge of his Formula One career. After his dramatic move to Red Bull, a stunt that shocked F1 fans and saved his career, Sergio Perez finally got behind the wheel of the red, yellow and blue car. And while Perez will race for Red Bull in the newly-built 2021 car, he had to use the 2018 car, one that was driven by the man he replaced - Alex Albon - to…

Jul

17

2021

By The African Mirror

Basketball star denied Olympic bid

SPORT

Former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most Valuable Player Nneka Ogwumike was denied an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ogwumike, who has been involved with United States of America (USA) basketball since high school, has been a longtime member within the US Senior basketball system. Having won gold with the American team previously, at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in 2014 and again in 2018, it was a shock that Ogwumike was left off the US team list. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Ogwumike has been missing for the roster list prior…

Apr

06

2021

By The African Mirror

Africa ascends to the UFC throne

SPORT

CAMEROONIAN Mixed Martial Arts heavyweight Francis Ngannou has been through more than most on his journey to becoming the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion. “I felt like I missed my childhood, I had to work at a young age and it wasn’t enough” said Ngannou. From the age of 10, in Batie, Cameroon, Ngannou had to work in a sand quarry to help the living standards at home. “We had to work, to contribute to the village,” he said. Additionally, he had to wake up at 5am to start navigating the six mile long journey to school was a…

Jul

16

2021

By The African Mirror

‘I never lose hope’: Refugee runner Lohalith revs up for Tokyo

SPORT

JACKSON NJEHIA ANJELINA Nadai Lohalith, a 26-year-old refugee from South Sudan, pounds around a running track outside Nairobi, trying to shave seconds off her time in the build-up to her appearance at the Tokyo Olympics. There are no national emblems on her training gear - she will not be running for South Sudan, the country of her birth that she fled in 2002, nor for Kenya, the country that took her in. She will be one of a 29-strong team of refugee athletes competing under the Olympic flag, with other members from as far afield as Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan and…

Jul

15

2021

By The African Mirror

Sex testing at the Olympics should be abolished once and for all

SPORT

LIKE the proverbial whack-a-mole, the Olympic sex test keeps coming back — with disastrous effects for women athletes across the globe — no matter how many times athletes and human rights’ advocates think they have abolished it. BRUCE KIDD, Professor Emeritus of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto The test was introduced in the 1930s to weed out “abnormal women athletes” from the Olympics. The first test was a physical examination. During the 1960s, when women began to object to the test’s “nude parades,” the official response was not abolition, but replacement by chromosome analysis. Feminists, athletes, geneticists, ethicists,…

Apr

03

2021

By The African Mirror

Dybala regretful on breaking regulations

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER PAULO Dybala has apologised for breaking COVID-19 lockdown laws while out partying. The Juventus forward acknowledged his error after being fined by police for attending a party with teammates Weston McKennie and Arthur Melo. The three were caught after police were called by neighbours who reported a social gathering taking place at US midfielder’s McKennie’s home in Turin. Dybala apologised on Instagram for disappointing his team and his Juventus fans for breaking the covid-19 lockdown. Italy’s government imposed another lockdown as a measure to prevent high cases from super spreader gatherings during the popular Easter season, where…

Jul

13

2021

By The African Mirror

Nigeria out-hoops Argentina

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO NIGERIA continued their strong run defeating Argentina 94-71 in an exhibition tournament game in Las Vegas, United States of America (USA). Argentina, the number four ranked team according to International Basketball Federation (FIBA), came into the game as favourites, but ended up on the wrong end of a 20 point blowout. After an upset over the number one ranked USA team, D’Tigres (Nigeria’s National Team) has continued to show strength ahead of the forthcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Two big wins for the Nigerian team come on the backs of resilient play, active hands, quick feet and defensive effort…