by Silas Boahene | Feb 21, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, International
Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta set a world-leading course record in the men’s race, clocking an impressive 2:03:27 at the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla on Sunday. Geleta’s stellar performance elevated him to the top 20 on the men’s world marathon all-time list. Meanwhile, his compatriot Azmera Gebru claimed victory in the women’s race with a time of 2:22:13. The event saw a total of eight national records shattered as athletes aimed for Olympic Games qualification in Paris.
Geleta’s record-breaking run was closely followed by French athlete Morhad Amdouni (2:03:47) and Israel’s Gashau Ayale (2:04:53), both setting national records. The women’s competition showcased Josephine Chepkoech securing the second spot with a personal best of 2:22:38, while Magdalyne Masai claimed third in 2:22:51.
The men’s race started at a blistering pace, with the leaders hitting 10km in 29:02 and passing the half marathon mark in 1:01:49, a remarkable 42 seconds inside the course record pace. Geleta made a decisive move after the pacemakers dropped out at 25km, ultimately winning by 20 seconds.
In the women’s event, Gebru led a six-strong group that reached halfway in 1:11:22. As the race progressed, she emerged as the sole athlete able to keep pace with the pacemaker, reaching the 40km mark in 2:15:02. Gebru secured the victory in 2:22:13, with record-breaking performances by Meline Rollin and Florencia Borelli in the seventh and eighth positions, respectively.
The Seville Marathon paid tribute to the late marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum with a 42-second silence before the race.
by Silas Boahene | Feb 20, 2024 | Africa, International, Nigeria, Soccer
In an exclusive report, Sportblog247.com reveals that Premier League club Brentford is unlikely to release Benjamin Fredrick to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the 2023 African Games. Fredrick, still eligible for the Flying Eagles, has been included in the 30-player provisional roster for the tournament scheduled in Ghana from March 8 to March 22, 2024.
Having played a crucial role in the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations and World Cup, where he contributed to seven clean sheets in ten appearances, the Simoiben FC product’s release by Brentford is uncertain. The Bees are not obligated to release Fredrick, as the competition falls outside the recognized FIFA international match calendar, making it impractical for the NFF to push for his release.
As of now, there are no plans to add another foreign-based player to the provisional roster due to the aforementioned reasons. Despite Fredrick’s recent rise in prominence, earning four first-team call-ups from Brentford, he has remained a non-playing substitute in those games, including two in the Premier League.
In addition to Fredrick, Nathaniel Nwosu and Daniel Bameyi, who were part of last year’s World Cup squad, have also been named in the U20 national team training camp roster. The Flying Eagles are set to face Uganda, South Sudan, Senegal, and Tunisia in the group stage of the 2023 African Games.
by Silas Boahene | Feb 20, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
The stage is set for the Women’s Football event at the African Games, hosted at the Cape Coast Stadium. The reigning champions of the WAFU U-20 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Black Princesses, find themselves in Group A alongside Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Ghana’s journey in the tournament kicks off with a match against Ethiopia on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Cape Coast Stadium. Following this, Coach Yussif Basigi’s squad will take on Tanzania on Tuesday, March 12, and conclude the group stage with a match against Uganda on Friday, March 15, 2024.
Coach Yussif Basigi’s team, fresh from a seven-day camp in Clairefontaine, France, as part of an exchange program between the France Football Federation (FFF) and the France Embassy in Accra, has also secured their place in the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after defeating Senegal.
by Silas Boahene | Feb 20, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghana is gearing up for the 13th edition of the African Games scheduled to take place in Accra from Friday, March 8, to Saturday, March 23, 2024. The quadrennial continental multi-sport event will unfold across venues such as the Games village in Borteyman, the Accra Sports Stadium, the University of Ghana Stadium, and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
The Men’s Football competition will see the Black Satellites representing Ghana in Group A, alongside Congo, The Gambia, and Benin. Coach Desmond Ofei’s team is set to commence their campaign against Congo at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, March 9. Subsequent group matches will see them face The Gambia on Tuesday, March 12, and Benin on Saturday, March 16.
by Silas Boahene | Feb 20, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
Following misconduct during their Ghana Premier League Day 13 encounter against Medeama SC at the Aliu Mahama Stadium, Real Tamale United FC has been fined GHS10,000 and handed a three-match ban by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association.
The charges against RTU FC include a failure to ensure the safety of the Match Commissioner, as per section 16(1)(c) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, 2019. Additionally, the club faced allegations of inappropriate behavior by their supporters, violating section 16(2)(c) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, 2019.
Having pleaded guilty to the charges, the club sought leniency through a plea for mitigation.
