Latest news with #sportsfestival
Emirates 24/7
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Emirates 24/7
Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy Launches nationwide sports festivals
The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has launched a new series of 'Schools Sports Festivals' taking place until November 2025. Focused on basketball and volleyball, the initiative targets schoolgirls aged 13 to 17 to take part in a dynamic programme aimed at discovering rising talent and preparing future champions for local and international competitions. The initiative includes six festivals to identify outstanding young athletes and integrate top performers into the academy's official teams. This initiative reflects Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy's unwavering commitment to advancing women's sports in the UAE. It aims to support national talent development, expand collaboration with the Ministry of Education and educational institutions, and foster a strong culture of sport among girls. The first of these festivals has already taken place at the academy's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, welcoming 70 students from five different schools. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
CTV News
29-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
‘We call ourselves the Olympics for regular people': Sports festival brings thousands to U of G
The Good Games returned to the University of Guelph (U of G) for its third year Friday. The Good Games returned to the University of Guelph (U of G) for its third year Friday. The free festival brought a variety of activities and sports across the campus, as well as thousands of pro and amateur athletes. According to the founders of the event, it's the largest sports festival of its kind in Canada. 'We were coming out of Covid but a lot of people had stopped playing sports. A lot of people were suffering,' The Good Games co-founder Mike Jean told CTV News. '[In the first year] we had about 234 athletes, which was very hard to get at the time. Now we have over 1500 athletes.' Jean also said last year's event had over 10,000 attendees, while this year's looks like there could be more. Tournaments were scheduled throughout the weekend, with prizes ready for the winners. 'Everyone involved in our tournaments will win medals. They win gold, silver [and] bronze. We call ourselves the Olympics for regular people,' said Jean. Former pro-athletes attended and competed in the games as well. Mike Plantinga, who was formerly with Team Canada for the Olympics, played in Saturday's elite men's beach volleyball competition. 'For us former athletes, it's a nice place to come and compete again,' said Plantinga. 'It feels like it did way back when. It's fun to play on a big stage like this.' This weekend's festival also had activities for younger kids to enjoy, like an inflatable section, face painting and soccer. 'We came mainly for the squash tournament. Their dad is playing in it and we were surprised by all this amazing stuff. They're having a blast,' said Lexie Grainger, who brought her two young kids for the first time. 'It's definitely more than I expected.' Grainger said having these kinds of family-friendly festivals are important to have in communities. 'It exposes the kids to [a] variety of sports and activities and gets them moving. We've been outside all day and it's just been great,' she said.
CNN
01-06-2025
- General
- CNN
Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria
Athletes, coaches and officials are among 22 people killed in a road accident in northern Nigeria as they returned from the country's National Sports Festival on Saturday, local authorities have said. Others were left 'seriously injured' by the accident, according to a statement issued by Kano's government office. The majority of the victims were young, it added. 'It is with a deeply saddened heart that I received the tragic news of the unfortunate incident which claimed the lives of 22 innocent citizens and left several others injured,' Abba Kabir Yusuf, governor of Kano State, said in the statement. 'On behalf of the government and the good people of Kano State, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. We mourn with you and share in your grief,' he continued. The accident was a 'lone road crash that might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed,' Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps said in a statement. The crash occurred at 12:30 a.m. local time Saturday (7:30 p.m. Friday ET), the statement said. The athletes killed in the crash were returning home after 'representing their state with distinction,' Nigeria's National Sports Commission (NSC) said in a statement posted to Instagram. The commission said it was 'deeply heartbroken' by the 'tragic road accident.' The victims 'carried the hope of a brighter future for our nation through their passion and commitment to excellence in sports,' NSC chairperson Mallam Dikko said. 'It is our duty to ensure such heroes are never forgotten.' Sports clubs including Kano Pillars, Kano's local soccer team, and the Nigeria Tennis Federation have also posted their condolences online. Nigeria's 22nd National Sports Festival was held in Ogun State in the southwest of the country, according to the NSC. After 11 days of events, the competition held its closing ceremony on Thursday, the NSC said. Monday will be a day of mourning for 'the good people of Kano to pray and sympathize with the families of the victims,' its governor announced.
CNN
01-06-2025
- General
- CNN
Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria
Athletes, coaches and officials are among 22 people killed in a road accident in northern Nigeria as they returned from the country's National Sports Festival on Saturday, local authorities have said. Others were left 'seriously injured' by the accident, according to a statement issued by Kano's government office. The majority of the victims were young, it added. 'It is with a deeply saddened heart that I received the tragic news of the unfortunate incident which claimed the lives of 22 innocent citizens and left several others injured,' Abba Kabir Yusuf, governor of Kano State, said in the statement. 'On behalf of the government and the good people of Kano State, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. We mourn with you and share in your grief,' he continued. The accident was a 'lone road crash that might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed,' Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps said in a statement. The crash occurred at 12:30 a.m. local time Saturday (7:30 p.m. Friday ET), the statement said. The athletes killed in the crash were returning home after 'representing their state with distinction,' Nigeria's National Sports Commission (NSC) said in a statement posted to Instagram. The commission said it was 'deeply heartbroken' by the 'tragic road accident.' The victims 'carried the hope of a brighter future for our nation through their passion and commitment to excellence in sports,' NSC chairperson Mallam Dikko said. 'It is our duty to ensure such heroes are never forgotten.' Sports clubs including Kano Pillars, Kano's local soccer team, and the Nigeria Tennis Federation have also posted their condolences online. Nigeria's 22nd National Sports Festival was held in Ogun State in the southwest of the country, according to the NSC. After 11 days of events, the competition held its closing ceremony on Thursday, the NSC said. Monday will be a day of mourning for 'the good people of Kano to pray and sympathize with the families of the victims,' its governor announced.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bus plunges off bridge in northern Nigeria, killing 22 athletes
A bus crash in Nigeria's northern state of Kano has killed 22 athletes returning home from a national sports event, according to the local governor. The bus, which was reportedly carrying more than 30 passengers, plunged off the Chiromawa Bridge on the Kano-Zaria expressway on Saturday, Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf told The Associated Press news agency. The exact cause of the accident was not known, but the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it 'might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed' after a long overnight trip. The survivors of the crash were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Yusuf said the athletes, who were accompanied by their coaches and sporting officials, were representing Kano State at the Nigerian National Sports Festival, held about 1,000km (620 miles) to the south in Ogun State. He declared Monday a day of mourning for the state. His deputy, Aminu Gwarzo, said the families of the victims would receive 1 million naira (about $630) and food supplies as support. The National Association of Nigerian Students released a statement, Nigerian daily The Guardian reported, saying the 'heartbreaking' incident had 'cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation, particularly the youth and sports communities'. Road accidents are common in Africa's most populous country, in part due to poor road conditions and lax enforcement of traffic laws. In March, at least six people died near the capital, Abuja, after a trailer crashed into parked vehicles and burst into flames. Last year, Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents that resulted in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data. The Nigerian National Sports Festival brings together athletes from the country's 35 states every two years. Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu recently said the games, which include sports ranging from wheelchair basketball to traditional West African wrestling, represent 'the unity, strength and resilience that define us as a nation'.
