Okagbare, Enyeama top list for Nigerian Sports Award

Commonwealth Games double gold medallist, Blessing Okagbare, and Africa’s best goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, top the list of nominees for the 2014 edition of the Nigerian Sports Award unveiled on Thursday in Lagos.

The General Manager, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr. Kayode Idowu, organisers of the awards, said the list has top three athletes for each category of the awards and the winners would be decided by votes from Nigerians.

The voting started on Thursday, according to the organisers.

Idowu said Okagbare and Enyeama topped the list as both were nominated in two categories. The Delta State-born sprinter was nominated for the Track & Field Star of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year awards, while the Lille shot stopper was nominated for the Sportsman of the Year and Footballer of the Year awards

Asisat Oshoala, who won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup, was nominated alongside Desire Oparanozie and Courtney Dike for the Footballer of the Year (Women) category. Enyeama, Emmanuel Emenike and Ogenyi Onazi were nominated for the Footballer of the Year (Men)

In the Ball Sports category, Africa Top 16 table tennis champion, Aruna Quadri, who won the award last year, was nominated alongside other table tennis icons, Segun Toriola and Onaolapo Ojo, while Okagbare and Ese Brume are the only two nominated for the track and field award.

Falconets coach Peter Dedevbo, former Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba and Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi are the three nominees for the Coach of the Year Award.

For the Team of the Year Award Falconets, Super Eagles and the Golden Eaglets are the nominees. Enyeama, Onazi and Osaze Odemwingie are the three nominees for the Sportsman of the Year, while Okagbare, Oshoala and Dike are to slug it out for the Sportswoman of the Year.

Lagos State Governors Babatunde Fashola, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Liyel Imoke of Cross River State were nominated for the Sports Governor of the Year.

Commonwealth super middleweight champion, Isaac Ekpo, Efe Ajagba and 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Efetobor Akpochi are the nominees for Boxing Star of the Year.

Glasgow Commonwealth Games wrestling gold medallists, Aminat Adeniyi and Odunayo Adekuroye were nominated alongside 2008 Olympic taekwondo bronze medallist, Chika Chukwumerije, for the Combat Sports Star of the Year.

Chairman of the award panel, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo, said public voting was open for the Sportsman and Sportswoman categories but other categories would be decided by the panel.

-punch