KEITH MAGARA -SPORTS AFRICA

Zambia face Malawi at home in tight Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifier

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Zambia will progress to the second round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers if they manage to beat Malawi in the return leg today.

The Copper Queens will face Malawi for the second time in seven days today where a simple victory guarantees them a place in the next stage to Road to Morocco.

Zambia will have a tough game at home, especially after they were held to a one-all draw by Malawi, in the first leg.

While the Copper Queens got a crucial away goal in Lilongwe last Wednesday, they will need to close the game in front of the home supporters at Nkoloma stadium.

Coach Bruce Mwape, who guided the same side at the Tokyo Games barely three months ago, has hinted there may be changes to the side that played last Wednesday.

The tactician, however, must be reminded that the nation will be keenly waiting for another Independence Day present from him.

Of greater news for the tactician is the availability of defender Lushomo Mweemba who shook off an injury and will be ready to protect either Hazel Nali, Ng’ambo Musole or Catherine Musonda, from the central defence, if any of them grabs the glove for a starting role between the posts.

Agness Musesa Patricia Lampi will partner Mweemba while defenders Margaret Belemu and Martha Tembo are expected to take their right-back and left-back positions respectively. Margaret Mulenga is also available on the right.

In midfield, Mwape is likely to go for youth and experience in Under-20 skipper Susan Evarine Katongo, Elizabeth Mupeso, Milika Limwanya, Mary Wilombe or Lubasi Pumulo.

In attack, Mwape has Spain-based forward Rachael Kundananji to deploy alongside skipper Grace Chanda and towering striker Ochumba Oseke Lubanji.

Maylan Mulenga and Xiomara Mapepa are the other striking options.

Sabinah Thom, who scored the equalizer in the 1-1 draw, is expected to be handed a starting role. She will be supported by Jessie Yosefe and Fazila Chembekezo.

The winner of this aggregate match will face Namibia in the second and final round of the 2022 AWCON qualifiers.

CAF has allowed 2,000 spectators with charges pegged at K30 and K50 for open wing and grandstand respectively.

Two murders and a suicide: Tragedy rocks Kenya athletics fraternity

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Kenya has lost three athletes in a fortnight, two of them to domestic violence.

Edith Muthoni, an amateur runner is the latest athlete reported to have been murdered by her boyfriend even as Athletics Kenya raises concern over a spike in deaths of athletes in the East African nation – a powerhouse of middle- and long-distance races.

Even though Muthoni’s death was reported on Monday and subsequent arrest made on Tuesday, her identity as an athlete only came to light two days later, a day after former world 10km (women-only) record holder Agnes Tirop was reported dead.

Tirop was found dead with a stab wound on her neck and abdomen in her rural home in Iten, about 350 kilometres west of Nairobi

Her boyfriend Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich, the key suspect in the gruesome murder, was arrested on Thursday in Mombasa as he tried to flee to a neighbouring country.

Tirop was 25.

Meanwhile, Muthoni’s lover, Kennedy Chomba, has also been arrested in relation to her murder as authorities continuing with the investigations.

According to a senior police commissioner, Chomba attacked Muthoni, 27, Tuesday evening at Kianjege village in Kirinyaga Central inflicting a deep wound at the back of her head.

Elsewhere, Hosea Mwok Macharinyang who represented Kenya in five world cross country championships was laid to rest on Thursday. He allegedly committed suicide.

Athletics Kenya has admitted that they are concerned with the high number of deaths with the federation admits that abuse of drugs is rampant among Kenyan athletes.

“It pains us because Tirop’s death is the latest in a series of misfortunes that have befallen athletes in recent past, including suicide, family wrangles, alcoholism and illegal drug use as well as untimely,” AK said in a statement, Thursday.

“The prime suspect in the gruesome murder of 25-year-old world 5,000m record holder Agnes Tirop, has been arrested.
Ibrahim Rotich, who was in a relationship with the athlete was arrested moments ago in Changamwe, Mombasa county, as he tried to flee to a neighbouring country to evade justice,” Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) said in a statement.

According to DCI, Rotich had rammed his getaway vehicle into a lorry as he desperately escaped the police dragnet.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in court to answer to the murder charges.

Rwanda hand ex-volleyball official two-year jail term

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A former Rwanda Volleyball Federation official has been handed a two-year sentence.

Jean de Dieu Bagirishya, who until his arrest and subsequent sentencing, was the Rwanda Volleyball Federation vice-president was found guilty of forgery.

The Rwandan government apprehended Bagirishya just two days after the conclusion of the 2021 Women’s Africa Nations Championship staged in Kigali form September 12 – 20.

Bagirishya was accused of forging documents belonging to four Brazilian players to allow them to play for Rwanda in the tournament.

He joined sports journalist Jado Castar who pleaded guilty of the same offence Thursday.

They duo conspired to forge the documents of the Brazilian quartet whose participation at the 2021 Women’s Africa Volleyball Championship saw Rwanda got kicked out of the tournament.

Rwanda was hosting the continental event but was nonetheless bundled out of the tourney after Morocco and Nigeria successfully lodged a protest, accusing the host of fielding ineligible players.

The players are Aline Siqueira, Apolinario Caroline Taina, Mariana Da Silva and Moreira Bianca Gomes.

Rwanda had beaten Nigeria and Morocco in the group stages and would have played losing finalists, Kenya, in the semis.

Cameroon won the tournament to book a ticket to the 2022 FIVB World Championship. Kenya, the record African champions, will also take part at the global showpiece.

Bagirishya can appeal the decision.

Kenyan athlete Agnes Tirop found murdered

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Kenyan athlete and current holder of the 10km women-only world record Agnes Tirop is dead.

Tirop’s lifeless body was found lying in a pool of blood Wednesday morning in Iten, Kenya’s athletics hub about 350km west of Nairobi, with stab wounds on her neck and abdomen, according to police reports.

The 10,000m world bronze medalist finished fourth in the 5000m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in a race won by Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.

Preliminary reports indicate that the athlete was killed by an ex-lover. According to neighbours, the couple had been having issues.

Tirop, who was set to celebrate her 26th birthday on October 21, took 28 seconds off the long-standing women-only world record for 10km at the adizero Road To Records event in Herzogenaurach on September 12.

That performance ended a 19-year-old record that had been held by Moroccan Asmae Leghzaoui set in 2002.

The new 10km record now stands at 30:29 but the holder is no more thanks violence that robbed the world of a promising talent that shot to the stage at the same time as Ruth Chepng’etich Kipyegon.

In 2015, Tirop became the second-youngest medalist when she won bronze at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships – 10,000m.

She won the 2014 African Cross Country Championships and would go on to impress at the World Cross Country and World Junior Championships.

In Tokyo, Tirop finished fourth after clocking 14:39.62 in the 5000m, behind Sifan Hassan (14:36.79) with compatriot Hellen Obiri 14:38.36) taking the silver.

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay was third after timing 14:38.87 to pip Tirop for bronze.

Athletics Kenya issued the following statement.

Nick Mwendwa just can’t stop lying as his chaotic reign decimates Kenyan football

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Kenya’s FA president Nick Mwendwa has defended the decision to hire the national team coach on a two-month contract as his administration fumbles for answers after Harambee Stars were eliminated from the ongoing 2022 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers.

Engin Fırat took over from Jacob Mulee who ‘left on mutual consent’ barely a year after he replaced Francis Kimanzi (who also left on mutual consent) on October 21, 2020.

“We have been plagued with issues around coaches way before I got here. We recently paid a coach (Adel Amrouche) KSh110 million just because of decisions that were not made properly. We had to divert our money from Fifa meant for grassroots to pay this one coach,” the Football Kenya Federation president said as he pointed the finger at the previous administration even though he terminated Amrouche’s contract leading to a protracted legal battle that saw the Belgian award hefty amount for breach of contract.

But he nonetheless defended the two months handed to Firat, a Turkish manager, claiming that hiring a long term coach would have cost the federation an arm and a leg.

“We learned and said that never again are we going to make that decision that cost us. We have another coach (Bob Williamson) that also cost us KSh55 million,” Mwendwa told NTV’s The Game Plan programme on Monday evening.

“Therefore, whenever we are hiring a new coach, we are very careful never to plunge Kenya, again, in this kind of situation.

“A permanent long-term coach was going to be around two years and it was going to cost us quite a lot of money.

“Looking at where we were, we were going to plunge ourselves in a million-dollar kind of cost, again with such a coach. It was not acceptable for us.”

Mwendwa described Firat as a “top-top” even though his stats at Moldovia say that opposite.

“We found a top-top coach.”

But in his 11 games with Moldovia, Firat lost nine times, drawing the rest.

Mwendwa is serving his sixth year in office. During this period, Kenya (Harambee Stars) has changed seven coaches.

But the outspoken Mwendwa says that things are not as bad as they seem.

“As you know we changed our team drastically. But even if you bring (Jose) Mourinho, even if you bring (Mikel) Arteta, here, the work that needs to be done is that we need to bring the talents to the table.

“For you to win, you need quality players,” he added, alluding to the fact that Kenya suffers from a serious dearth of talent.

“Let’s look at Mali, for example. Are we better than Mali?

“The answer is no!”

Harambee Stars lost 6-0 on aggregate to Mali in the World Cup Qualifiers.

They suffered a 5-0 defeat away in Morocco (where Mali played their home game) before losing 1-0 at home in Nairobi last Sunday.

Nagoya Women’s Marathon announces biggest prize money

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Nagoya Women’s Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum road race, will be the highest paying marathon in the world.

The Japanese event is set to go down this coming Sunday, March 13, 2022, with a cash prize of $250,000 at stake.

With the announcement, the Nagoya marathon beat Boston Marathon which was the highest paying race with $150,000 for the winner.

Being the world’s largest women’s marathon, one of the world’s top-level races, and the only women’s race with a World Athletics Platinum label, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon made the decision as it aims for greater heights as a global leader in female athletics.

“By holding a higher-level racing among some of the fastest women athletes gathered from across the world, the organizers aim to convey to the global audience the wonders of marathons, particularly the talent and outstanding ability of women athletes,” said the race organizers in a statement.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many road races have been cancelled or postponed and athletes’ competing opportunities have been lost.

“It has been a very difficult time for anyone, but athletes were surely ones who have been struggling and facing unprecedented challenges,” added the organizers.

By announcing the increase in prize money, the organizers hope to encourage athletes worldwide and send another piece of positive news to the world of long-distance races, mass participation events, and women’s sports.

One must, however, be 19 years and above by race day if you are to beat some of the stringent eligibility criteria put in place by the organizers.

For local athletes, one must have set one of the records in marathon (Under 2 hours and 50 minutes), 30km (Under 1 h 55 min 00 sec), half marathon (Under 1 h 15 min 00 sec), 2 km (Under 1 h 11 min 00 sec) and 10km (Under 34 min 00 sec) as a JAAF-registered athlete at a certified competition inside or outside Japan.

The organizers assured that they will make every effort to ensure the safe arrival of all participating athletes to the event even though the admission will be determined by the Japanese government.

“Please be aware that there is a possibility that the Japanese government may impose entry restrictions on foreign-based athletes depending on the future infection status around the world.”

Kenya, South Africa and Morocco enter bids for 2025 World Athletics Championships

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Three African countries will battle it out with Japan for the hosting right of the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

South Africa and Morocco as well as Kenya will be hoping to convince the World Athletics that they can stage the marque event in Africa for the first time, after Budapest in 2023.

Will Kenya stand as a firm favourite among African countries having recently staged the World Athletics Under-20 Championships and the Kip Keino Classic, a Continental Tour Gold meeting twice – in 2020 and September this year?

Kenya, an athletics crazy nation and home of long-distance running, also staged a successful World Under-18s in 2017 that witnessed record attendance.

Kenya has also staged some big events this year, including the Safari Rally which returned to the World Rally Championship calendar, the Magical Kenya Open and Savannah Classic both under the European Tour.

According to Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed, the East African nation has placed a strong bid whose winner will be known by December.

“We have submitted a bid for Championships. It’s a good bid,” Amina told The Standard newspaper.

The bid is prepared jointly between the national government and Athletics Kenya.

But the African countries will have to convince World Athletics that they have the resources and infrastructure to beat Japan who recently staged the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe recently boosted Kenya’s confidence when he publicly encouraged the running powerhouse to submit her bid.

“We are positively aware of Kenya’s idea of hosting the 2025 edition. The country was successful in 2007 and 2017 and we are waiting to receive their bid through CAA.

“We have always supported the idea of the World Championships being held in Africa. The attendance in events held in Africa has always been top,” Coe once said.

Eugene in Oregon (USA) is set to host the 2022 World Championships.

The event which were postponed from 2021 is to be followed in 2023 in Budapest.

Kenyan sharpshooter Peter Njoroge wins IDPA High International award in USA

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Kenyan sharpshooter Peter Njoroge displayed impeccable prowess over the weekend to lift the High International Iron Sights Award at the just concluded tier five International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) 2021 US National Championships in Colorado, USA.

So historic and dramatic was the event for the six Kenyan participants after bighorn sheep temporarily invaded the range forcing an abrupt stoppage.

The disruption forced the safety officers to temporarily halt the shoot as participants captured the events with their cameras.

Other Kenyans who took part in the event include Eric Wachira – ESP Master, Sammy Onyango- ESP Master, Geoffrey Pesa – PCC Expert, Paul Maina – SSP Sharpshooter, Peter Njoroge – CCP Sharpshooter and John Njenga – Sharpshooter.

The event was equally a unique one having included all the eight divisions with competitors allowed to spread out their shots to avoid any confusion in scoring.

Njoroge blasted six shots on target in 5.83, at 15 yards on the standard warm-up stages, missing all the non-threats in all the 18 Courses of Fires (COFs).

“The fact that I never hit a non-threat on any of the COFs really boosted my chances of winning especially after my ‘front sight fell off’ fell off in the first COF.

“I couldn’t shoot well, but it was a big shock to hear my name called. I did not expect it because I got so many penalties during the stage thrill. In fact, I can say it is ironical that I won the High International Iron Sights Award,” said Njoroge

Njoroge who uses factory guns, ammo and trigger, pointed out that western competitors have an advantage over African shooters when it comes to the quality of weapons they use.

“Those are very hard to use,” lamented Njoroge.

“Their competition guns are brand new and are provided by corporate sponsors, some of who manufactures, them and market them through the sport,” he says.

The Western competitors also use modern technology like lasers in their training.

He named B. Pratt as his stiffest competition saying he was shooting with a new Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP) which had a soft trigger, comfortable grip and low grain bullets. Pratt scooped 2nd place in ESP Sharpshooter Class.

The event attracted approximately 500 competitors who took part in the competition staged at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex in Palisade.

Rwanda to host World Road Cycling Championships in 2025

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Rwanda will host the first edition of the World Road Cycling Championships to be held in African in 2025.

The East African nation, that recently staged Africa Nations Volleyball Championship, Basketball Africa league and Fiba AfroBasket championships in the capital Kigali, looks set to host another major sporting event.

But the decision will have to be ratified by the International Cycling Union (UCI) congress, which is expected to sit today, Friday, September 24, in Leuven, Belgium, the International Cycling Federation said.

The Rwandan Cycling Federation beat Morocco who were also in the running for the rights to stage a first world cycling championship in Africa.

This is a fulfilled promise by the UCI President, Frenchman David Lappartient, who had announced at the beginning of his first term, in 2017, that he was looking at the world event being staged in Africa.

To this end, it is only the African continent that is yet to stage the event.

North America hosted the first World Road Cycling Championships event in 1974 in Montreal (Canada) and South America in 1977 in Venezuela (San Cristobal). Asia organized them for the first time in 1990 in Japan (Utsunomiya), and Oceania in 2010 in Geelong near Melbourne.

The Australian city of Wollongong is set to host the 2022 edition with the subsequent two editions to be staged in Scotland and Switzerland in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

The 2021 edition was hosted in Flanders, Belgium, early this week.

The first world cycling championships were staged in 1921, being the amateurs event held in Copenhagen, Denmark, while a professional event took place in the German city of Nürburgring in 1927.

Rwanda is known for its cycling culture. The country also hosts the Tour of Rwanda, which Lappartient himself attended last May.

Eto’o announces bid to run for Cameroon football presidency

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Former Indomitable Lions captain Samuel Eto’o will stand for the presidency of the Cameroonian Football Federation in an election due in December.

The former Barcelona and Chelsea star declared his interest in taking up the leadership of Fecafoot when the polls are conducted in three months’ time.

“Time is running out. Waiting is not an option. It is time to rebuild our football,” Eto’o wrote on his social media pages.

The election, that has been postponed several times, is expected to take place on December 11, barely a month before Cameroon hosts the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in January

The Afcon tournament will kick off on January 9, 2022.

But Eto’o will have to wait for Fecafoot to announce the final list of eligible candidates who will have to fully comply with the electoral code.

The electoral code bars anyone who holds more than one passport from standing in the elections and it remains to be seen how Eto’o who also holds a Spanish nationality will wade through the murky politics.

Eto’o was handed the Spanish passport during his time at Barcelona.

He will battle two other ex-Cameroon internationals – Jules Denis Onana and Emmanuel Maboang Kessack – in the race that has also attracted interim president Seidou Mbombo Njoya along with football agent Ivo Chi.

Eto’o, 40, won the African Player of the Year award four times and is also Cameroon’s record scorer with 56 goals in 118 games.

The former Inter Milan player is a journeyman who also had a short stint with English Premier League side Everton before calling off time from his illustrious career in Qatar.

He won an Olympic gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and was also part of the Indomitable Lions at the 2000 and 2002 Afcon finals.

Candidates have until October 11 to declare their intention to run.

Eto’o joins the list of former top African players to have jumped into elective politics after retirement

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is also running for the Ivory Coast FA’s top office in the much-delayed elections while George Weah is the current president of Liberia.

Weah is a former Fifa World Player of the Year.

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