TOP CLASS: Over 5 000 elite athletes from all the 54 countries in action in tourney will serve as the official qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Paris Games

By Sports Reporter

Ghana, March 8, 2024/ — Today marks an historic milestone as Rugby Sevens makes its eagerly awaited debut at the African Games  scheduled from March 8 to March 23 in Accra, Ghana. The 13th edition of the African Games will serve as the official qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Paris Games.

Organized by the African Union (AU) with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC), the African Games is Africa’s biggest multi-disciplinary sporting event geared towards advancing top-class African Sports and fostering cultural exchanges between the member states of the African Union.

The games will see some five thousand elite athletes, three thousand experienced officials and thousands of fans in the country, in addition to an estimated global audience of 2.2 billion people watching through traditional and social media.

The addition of Rugby Sevens not only showcases the diversity of sports across Africa, but reflects the organizations dedication to sport representation, increase of regional participation and sports development.

Rugby Sevens, a variation of rugby union, features teams comprised of seven players engaging in seven-minute halves, diverging from the traditional format of 15 players per side and 40-minute halves. The governance of rugby sevens falls under World Rugby, the global authority for rugby union.

“I stand with great pride as rugby takes its rightful place within the African Games for the very first time.

This marks a historic moment for our sport and for the continent as a whole. My heartfelt congratulations go out to Ghana and my President Nana Akufo-Addo for their exceptional work in preparing to host this esteemed event” stated Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa. “The African Games serve as a testament to our continent’s commitment to sports. It’s a platform where our athletes can shine, our nations can unite, and our shared passion for the game can be celebrated on a grand scale.”

Ghana, a founding member of the African Games, is hosting the Olympic event for the first time, with 5000 elite athletes from over 54 African countries competing in 25 diverse sport codes including swimming, cricket, football, volleyball and many more. With the inclusion of Rugby Sevens to the line-up, the African Games promises to deliver unmatched excitement.

In another  seminal moment for the game, chess is set to be showcased among 23 sports at the 13th African Games,

“The inclusion of chess in this prestigious multi-sport event is a significant step in the international recognition of the game at big international sports competitions,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.

Chess made its debut in the African Games in 2003, and it featured in all subsequent editions till 2015. The decision to include chess in the 13th edition was accepted by the Minister of Youth & Sports of the Republic of Ghana, reflecting the status of the game globally.

“Upon my recent visit to Africa, I have seen great appetite for the game and interest from the public and the African government. To have chess included in one of the biggest sports events in Africa is wonderful. It reaffirms the place chess has as a sport in major sporting events and is a step closer to having chess present at the Olympic Games as the biggest global sports event,” said Grandmaster Nigel Short, FIDE’s Director for chess development.

The 13th African Games will witness the participation of 24 countries in the chess tournament, with each country entitled to enter a team consisting of two chess players, comprising one man, one woman, and one captain.

The formats will include the Mixed Team Rapid Championship, Men’s Rapid Championship, Women’s Rapid Championship, Mixed Team Blitz Championship, Men’s Blitz Championship, and Women’s Blitz Championship.

The inclusion of chess in the African Games follows the success of reintroducing chess to the Asian Games, where competitions were held in individual and team tournaments in both the open and the women’s categories.

The overarching goal of the 13th African Games is to foster positive rivalry among the youth of Africa, projecting a united Africa to the world. Beyond the sporting arena, the event aims to promote Africa’s rich art and culture, contributing to socio-economic development across the continent.

The 2023 African Games will be held in three Ghanaian cities—Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast

JOSHUA STUNS NGANNOU IN TWO

Knockout chaos: An explosive  flurry of blows see referee halts contest

By Sports Reporter

Anthony Joshua delivered the most powerful statement to the heavyweight division with a destructive second-round knockout win over Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua, 34, floored the former UFC champion in the first round and early in the second. A dazed Ngannou rose to his feet in Riyadh but was stunned by an explosive and formidable right moments later as the referee halted the contest.

The 37-year-old appeared to be out before he even hit the canvas and required medical treatment. “I’m going back to my cage and when they let me out, I’ll fight again,” Joshua said, as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury watched on from ringside. Fury made tough work of Ngannou in October when he was dropped by the boxing debutant before claiming a narrow points win.

“When I saw the fight with Tyson Fury I thought ‘I want some of that’. [Ngannou] is a great champion and this doesn’t take anything away from his capabilities,” said Joshua. “I told him not to leave boxing. He’s two fights in and he’s fought the best.”

With the card running more than an hour later than planned, it was 03:20 local time when master of ceremonies Michael Buffer introduced Ngannou to the ring.

Dressed in a pink and white robe with gold tassels, Ngannou made the solitary walk down the aisle to the tune of ‘God’s Plan’ by Drake. A frowning Joshua looked full of purpose as he strutted to the ring with confidence. He kneeled down and recited a prayer in his corner.

Joshua drew the loudest reaction, a mixture of boos and jeers. He seemed completely undeterred, his eyes set firmly on Ngannou. And it was a near-perfect start for the Watford-born fighter. Ngannou had just narrowly missed with a lead left hand as Joshua remained calm and composed.

AJ extended his backhand to land a flush right down the pipe. By flooring Ngannou, he had done within three minutes what Fury failed to do in 10 rounds four months ago.

A stunned Ngannou got up on the count of eight and saw out the round.

Joshua has become a smarter fighter in recent years, honing his technical ability. He doubled his jab, bided his time and waited for an opening. Another right hand had Ngannou clamouring on the floor. He beat the count in the nick of time but the writing was on the wall.

The finishing punch was one which will undoubtedly take centre stage in future Joshua knockout highlights reel.