Nigeria's bronze medal winning team returns home

Posted : 29 November 2023

Nigeria's representatives at the just-concluded 25th Women's 2023 Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) in Malawi, the Delta Queens hockey team, have touched down in Abuja. They had gone to Malawi to once again etch their name in the African Hockey history record books by clinching the bronze medal at the star-studded tournament.

The just-concluded championship featured teams from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and Malawi in the women’s category. It started on Nov. 18 and ended on Sunday, Nov. 26, at the National Hockey Stadium in Blantyre.

Speaking about the experience during the competition, Coach Adeoye Jacobs of Delta Queens noted that the Nigerian team returned to the country with their heads held high.

“The bronze medal adds another layer to our accomplishments,” said the coach, adding that this remarkable achievement marks the second consecutive time the team (Delta Queens) has secured a third-place finish, showcasing their consistency and prowess on the continental stage.

Jacobs added that the team played six games, won four, drew one, and lost one as they competed against formidable clubs drawn from other countries in East Africa.

He mentioned that the team defeated the home side, Genetrix, 10-0 to finish third and earn the well-deserved bronze medal.

“I commend my players for standing against strong opposition and coming back with the bronze medal. It was a great competition for us. We have added to our experience as a team. If not for the head-to-head decision, we ought to have played in the final.

“My girls learned a lot, and that is the benefit of competitions. Hopefully, we hope to do better by bringing home the trophy next time,” he said.

Adeoye expressed gratitude to the Delta state Government for ensuring that the team participated in the championship.

“The Commission did their best for us, and we appreciate them a lot for making sure we traveled to Malawi.

However, there are controversies in the ladies’ category as Lakers of Kenya were disqualified for fielding ineligible players.

Lakers were due to take on eventual women’s champions, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Following the disqualification of Lakers, their compatriots, Blazers, were upgraded to meet GRA in the final, but it never took place as Lakers protested vehemently.

This forced the organizers to use a ranking table to determine winners, which saw GRA claiming the top position after accumulating more points, followed by Blazers.

In the men’s category, Sharkia of Egypt beat Kenya’s Western Jaguars to retain the accolade while Kampala of Uganda settled for bronze after beating Genetrix 3-1.

Police Machine of Nigeria did not participate.

The women’s category teams that participated are the Lakers of Kenya, Blazers of Kenya, GRA ladies of Ghana, Delta Queens of Nigeria, Genetrix of Malawi, Scorpions of Malawi, and Capital Braves of Malawi (hosts).

Nigeria's bronze medal winning team returns home

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