Nigeria Prepares For Nations Cup
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are hoping to soar at the 29th Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, which kicks off January 19th in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Super Eagles are based in South Africa’s northeastern city of Nelspruit for their first two Nations Cup matches. They will play Burkina Faso January 21st and defending Nations Cup […]
A Magnificent Year for Lionel Messi
It’s been a magnificent year for Lionel Messi, the Barcelona and Argentina star who is a favorite to win his fourth FIFA Ballon d’Or award on January 7, 2013, a trophy given annually to the world’s best football player. Messi scored both of Barcelona’s goals December 12 in a 2-0 road victory against Cordoba in […]
IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year Allyson Felix
Olympic champion Allyson Felix celebrated her 27th birthday on November 18th in Uganda, where she visited and played with children at Urunchinga refugee camp. She described her trip to east Africa, which also included a safari at Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, as a wonderful experience. From Africa, the American sprinter traveled to Spain for […]
Thanksgiving Day Turkey Chase
Sports and the Thanksgiving holiday here in the USA go together like turkey and Aunt Maureen’s homemade stuffing. American football kicks off on Thanksgiving Day. Many fans will watch games on television, while others, like my nephew Wade, build up an appetite for Maureen’s Thanksgiving feast with football games at a nearby field. I’ll be […]
2012 African Footballer of the Year
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, will hold its annual awards ceremony December 20th in Accra, Ghana. The biggest prize to be handed out in the Ghanaian capital is the African Player of the Year, and if recent history is any indicator, there’s a good chance the trophy will be lifted by a striker. Nine […]
The MCM and Remembering the Oprah Marathon
As many as 30,000 runners are expected to test their endurance in Sunday’s 37th annual Marine Corps Marathon here in the Washington area. The popular race, nicknamed “The People’s Marathon,” takes the runners past many of Washington’s landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial and United States Capitol building, as well as our Voice of America headquarters […]
Boxing in Ghana
Ghana has produced some of Africa’s greatest boxers, including former world champions Azumah “The Professor” Nelson, Ike “Bazooka” Quartey and Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko. The 54-year-old Nelson, who had his last professional fight in 2008, is regarded as the patriarch of Ghana boxing. The former WBC featherweight and super featherweight champion learned to box in […]
Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks in Uncharted African Football Waters
The Blue Sharks from the Cape Verde Islands used to be known as one of the minnows in African football. Ten years ago, Cape Verde was rated one of the weakest African teams by FIFA, world football’s governing body. In October 2002, FIFA had the Blue Sharks ranked 41st out of 52 African teams, and […]
Soccer Surge Towards South Africa 2013
The final soccer surge towards South Africa 2013 takes place this coming weekend when the last 15 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches are played across the continent. From Calabar to Kampala, from Luanda to Lilongwe, from Malabo to Marrakech, teams are vying for a place in Africa’s premier football tournament, which kicks off January […]
Makau Aims For New Marathon Mark In Germany
A little more than one year ago, I wrote how Patrick Makau had reason to smile after he set a new marathon world record, clocking 2:03:38 in Berlin, Germany. While the Kenyan is still the world record holder, his spirit and confidence have been tested in 2012, a year that so far has been marked […]