SPORT - The African Mirror

Jul

14

2022

This young African gaming star now has an international platform

NEWS, E-SPORTS

THUKU KARIUKI, BIRD STORY AGENCY SYLVIA Gathoni, aka QueenArrow, is on a roll. Returning from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, her success in the e-sports arena there is, for this Tekken player, just the latest in a string of recent wins. In Guadeloupe, the Kenyan placed fifth overall and was the best female player in a field of 15 international players brought to the island for the event. In June, she was named a Forbes top 30 under 30, putting Kenya on the world gaming map. QueenArrow started her professional gaming career when she was 18 years old, entering a…

Feb

01

2023

By The African Mirror

The IOC must protect Russian and all athletes against geopolitics

ATHLETICS, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Ukrainian government are at each other’s throats over the inclusion of Russian and Belarussian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics in 18 months. ABBEY MAKOE The IOC has stated its willingness to let athletes from the two countries heavily involved in the Ukraine war participate “under a neutral flag” at the games in France. In the aftermath of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the IOC recommended that Russian and Belarussian athletes should be “indefinitely suspended” in international competitions. Russia was swiftly barred from participating in the UEFA games and the FIFA…

Feb

02

2023

By The African Mirror

Bilbao-born Athletic Club striker Iñaki Williams wins LaLiga Santander Mid-Season African MVP Award

SPORT

RECORD-BREAKING Athletic Bilbao striker Iñaki Williams has won LaLiga Santander’s Mid Season African MVP Award, after a conclusive vote by a jury of football journalists and fans. Born in Bilbao with strong African roots, the 28-year-old has spent his entire professional career with Athletic Bilbao, with the pacey forward scoring 80 goals in his 362 appearances for Los Leones (The Lions) since making his LaLiga debut for Athletic as an 18-year-old teenager. The award is an acknowledgement and celebration of the standout African players campaigning in LaLiga and Williams was a convincing winner following a public vote and the votes…

Jan

31

2023

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

The NBA aims for a slam dunk in Africa after a successful tryout in Senegal, Rwanda

SPORT

AFRICA’S fledgling basketball league has received another shot in the arm after France and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced a series of initiatives to prop up the game on the continent as the latter seeks to expand its global footprint and reach new fans. Last week, France and the NBA said they would pump investments into basketball infrastructure in Africa, including building multipurpose facilities that can host Basketball Africa League (BAL) and NBA games. French President Emmanuel Macron and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also unveiled a comprehensive plan to collaborate on various initiatives that will elevate basketball in France…

Jan

28

2023

By The African Mirror

Africa making waves in global transfer market

SPORT

BIRD STORY AGENCY IN 2022, African countries were key players in the global player transfer markets in three reporting categories; men’s football, women’s football, and amateur football. This is according to the 2022 FIFA Global Transfer Report released by FIFA on 26th January 2023. Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast are listed among the top 10 globally in the number of transfers made in the Men’s Football category. Nigeria - ranked 5th - recorded 725 transfers in 2022, while Ghana recorded 515 transfers and is ranked 8th globally. The two earned US$104.2 million and US$17.4 million, respectively. Ivory Coast closes the…

Jan

20

2023

By The African Mirror

Africa Champions Cup MVP, Hagar Amer, shares her journey to basketball success

SPORT

SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY AS the sound of the final buzzer fills the Eduardo Mondlane University Gym in Maputo, the bench players and the coaches of Alexandria Sporting Club flood the floor to celebrate their unprecedented victory. In a corner, the team's captain, Hagar Amer, takes a moment to herself. Overcome with emotion, Amer weeps freely at what she and her team have achieved - for the first time in her country's basketball history, an Egyptian club has just won the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women. Amer is also named the tournament's most valuable player (MVP) averaging 15…

Jan

19

2023

By The African Mirror

Ronaldo-Messi rivalry set for new chapter in Riyadh

SPORT

MANASI PATHAK A new chapter in the celebrated rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will unfurl when they meet in an exhibition match as the Portugal forward gears up for his first game in Saudi Arabia since joining Al Nassr. After a glittering career in Europe that saw him win four Champions League titles with Real Madrid and two Scudettos at Juventus, Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr, describing it as the "right moment" to share his experience in Asia. The Saudi club is the latest stop in Ronaldo's career that began in 2002 at Sporting CP before the forward…

Jan

18

2023

By The African Mirror

Club World Cup draw in Morocco sees top world teams square up in February

SPORT

BIRD STORY AGENCY THE 2022 FIFA Club World Cup opening game will take place on 1st February and will see Egypt's Al Ahly take on New Zealanders Auckland City. This is according to the results of the draw that took place on Friday (January 13) in Sale, Morocco. The Club World Cup will take place between February 1-11 in Morocco after FIFA decided to postpone the competition in favour of the Qatar World Cup that took place between November and December 2022. Seven clubs from around the world will play in the cities of Rabat and Tangier in a competition…

Jan

17

2023

By The African Mirror

LaLiga Santander African Mid Season MVP Award back with a bang for its second season

SPORT

IT is time again to vote for the LaLiga Santander Mid Season African Most Valuable Player (MVP), as LaLiga celebrates the achievements of the wide range of exciting African players who have excelled in the Spanish top flight so far this season. Reigning LaLiga Santander African MVP, Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou, underlined his star quality and world-class ability with a superb 2022 FIFA World Cup, playing a huge role in Morocco’s remarkable run to becoming the first African team to reach the tournament’s semi-final stage. His phenomenal performances in Qatar will make him one of the favourites to retain the inaugural…

Jan

14

2023

By The African Mirror

Manchester City’s Mendy found not guilty on six counts of rape

SPORT

MANCHESTER City defender Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, while jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape, British media reported on Friday. The trial had been taking place at Chester Crown Court since August after 13 women made allegations against Mendy and co-accused Louis Saha Matturie. City issued a statement saying the club had noted the verdict. "Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time," City said…