SPORT - The African Mirror

Jun

29

2024

The Namibian athlete with hopes of winning Paralympic gold

ATHLETICS

GREETED by cheers and hugs, Namibian para-athlete, Chris Kinda together with guide Kelvin Goagoseb was given a heroic welcome at the MTC Dome Indoor Sports Centre in Swakopmund after becoming the first para-athlete from Namibia to win a gold medal when at a Paralympic World Championships. Kinda dashed to victory in the 400m T11 event at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championship held in Kobe, Japan from 17 to 25 May. “I told myself when I was still in Japan that I will dedicate this gold medal to my late mother during that moment I had so many mixed…

Jun

29

2024

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird basketball roundup: Safaricom, NBA Africa partner up, Uganda dominates FIBA U-18, Petro de Luanda are 2024 BAL champs

BASKETBALL

THE NBA Africa and leading East African telecommunication company, Safaricom last month forged a multi-year partnership aimed at impacting over 10,000 Kenyan youth. The collaboration includes Jr. NBA tournaments, coaching clinics, and an elite camp for top high school talents, all designed to ignite the basketball dreams of boys and girls under 16 across the region.“Our collaboration with Safaricom builds on the NBA’s ongoing efforts to grow basketball in Kenya and across the continent of Africa,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to creating more opportunities for young people to engage in physical activity and learn the values…

Jun

25

2024

By STEPHEN GRANGER FOR BIRD STORY AGENCY

Road to Paris: Can Kenya’s marathon stars rewrite history at the Paris Olympics?

SPORT

KENYA'S Olympic squad for Paris, announced in May, boasts a star-studded lineup led by Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir. This team of marathon elites has the potential to carve out new chapters in Kenya's illustrious Olympic history. The Kenyan national anthem has been played at the Olympic Marathon ceremony three times out of the last four summer Olympiads. In Nairobi, there is a quiet confidence that the well-known music will again be heard at the business end of the Paris Olympics in August. Only in Kenya can you race to a sub 2 hr 3 min marathon within…

Jun

25

2024

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Safaricom, NBA Africa partner up, Uganda dominates FIBA U-18, Petro de Luanda are 2024 BAL champs

BASKETBALL

THE NBA Africa and leading East African telecommunication company, Safaricom last month forged a multi-year partnership aimed at impacting over 10,000 Kenyan youth. The collaboration includes Jr. NBA tournaments, coaching clinics, and an elite camp for top high school talents, all designed to ignite the basketball dreams of boys and girls under 16 across the region. “Our collaboration with Safaricom builds on the NBA’s ongoing efforts to grow basketball in Kenya and across the continent of Africa,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to creating more opportunities for young people to engage in physical activity and learn the…

Jun

23

2024

By The African Mirror

Next Cup of Nations finals to start in December 2025

FOOTBALL

THE next Africa Cup of Nations finals have been put back six months and will now be played from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the Confederation of African (CAF) football announced. The 2025 tournament in Morocco was supposed to take place in mid-year but has been shifted because of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup with 32 teams in the United States next June and July. CAF has also postponed the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations by 12 months to July 5-26 next year. That is also being hosted in Morocco. Dates for the two tournaments have been…

Jun

23

2024

By PHILIP O'CONNOR

Rejuvenated Germany can win Euros, says World Cup winner Thon

FOOTBALL

GERMAN fans welcomed the start of Euro 2024 on home soil more in hope than expectation, but their performances have surprised many and they are now serious contenders to win the title, German World Cup winner Olaf Thon told Reuters. The 58-year-old, who scored a memorable goal against Denmark in his home town of Gelsenkirchen in the 1988 European Championship, has remained in the game through his punditry work for Sport1, where he provides expert analysis on the Bundesliga and the German national team. "Last year, I would have predicted that Germany would not make it very far, but based…

Jun

23

2024

By The African Mirror

Islamist terrorism main concern ahead of Paris Games, city’s police chief says

SPORT

ISLAMIST terrorism is the main security worry ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics, the French capital's chief of police Laurent Nunez said. France is on its highest level of security alert as the Games approach, with the country additionally preparing for snap legislative elections at the end of June. French authorities also recently foiled an attack on a sports stadium in another French city. "Islamist terrorism remains our main concern," Nunez told a press conference seven weeks before the Olympics opening ceremony, which will be held on and along the River Seine on July 26. "There is no clear-cut threat…

Jun

23

2024

By The African Mirror

Job done for South Africa but Gatland sees positives in defeat

SPORT

SOUTH Africa coach Rassie Erasmus and his Wales counterpart Warren Gatland both found positives in the Springboks’ 41-13 victory in a one-off test at Twickenham but will want to fix some rustiness ahead of a tough series next month. A depleted South Africa, who had four debutants in their match-day 23 and only five starters from their last outing, the Rugby World Cup final, managed five tries in a comfortable win in the end, though they were under the cosh for an hour. "It was beneficial in terms of getting game time into guys like (hooker) Malcolm Marx, who has…

Jun

22

2024

By The African Mirror

Togo coach Paulo Duarte resigns

FOOTBALL

PAULO Duarte has ended his three-year reign as coach of Togo having submitted his resignation with the team struggling in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, officials confirmed. "The Executive Committee regrets this decision but takes note of it and wishes to express its gratitude to him for his work, commitment and professionalism during the years of collaboration," the Togolese Football Federation said in a statement. No specific reason has been given for the Portuguese’s decision, but he failed to qualify the side for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and they are languishing in fourth in their World Cup qualification…

Jun

22

2024

By MITCH PHILLIPS

Painful deja vu as Slovakia punished by Ukraine

FOOTBALL

SLOVAKIA coach Francesco Calzona said there had been no celebrating after his side’s shock opening win over Belgium as "nothing has been achieved" and he was proved prescient as his team were brought down to earth with a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine. It was all going so well for Slovakia on Friday as Ivan Schranz's goal after 17 minutes gave them a lead that, if held, would have sent them through to the Round of 16 with a game to spare. They were the better team until the goal but then handed over the initiative to a Ukraine side showing…