Z-PRO MEDIA

 By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria's Damola Hannah Ojo and Esther Kolawole added to the country's medal haul at the Ulaanbaatar 2026 United World Wrestling (UWW) 3rd Ranking Series in Mongolia, joining Christianah Ogunsanya on the podium. The Ranking Series tournament, which offers valuable seeding points for upcoming global championships, saw Ojo produce a dominant performance on her way to the final. The reigning African champion opened her campaign with a commanding 10-0 victory over Mongolia's Tuvshinjargal Tarav before defeating India's Priya 5-1 in the semi-finals. However, her impressive run ended in the gold medal bout, where she fell 0-8 to India's Kajal, settling for a well-deserved silver medal. Earlier, Esther Kolawole secured bronze for Nigeria with a convincing 10-0 victory over China's Huan Yang in the third-place match. Kolawole had earlier made a strong statement by defeating world No. 1 Amina Tandelova, competing under the neutral banner...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye at the Warriors Basketball Court in Ilupeju, Lagos      The President of FIBA Africa Zone 3, Retired Colonel Sam Ahmedu on Friday described the Jordan Nwora Basketball Camp as the highway to success in the slamming and dunking game for young jammers looking to take their game to the next level.  Colonel Ahmedu gave this assurance in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG'S Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye. He emphasized that the benefits of participating at the camp cannot be overemphasized, from skill acquisition to scholarships. “We have been able to fulfill our objective, the major one being to teach the youths the fundamentals of the game. We are also discovering some new and talented players from Liberia to Ghana and now Nigeria, we want to help them take their game to the next level,” he stated. For the retired army officer, his love for youth development spans over 40 years. He explained that lack...

By Maxwell Kumoye  Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only a handful of c...

  The Cricket Association of Nepal apologised after its players got a Bhutan batter 'timed out' in Thursday's ACC Women's Premier Cup match, saying the dismissal was within the laws but did not reflect the spirit ‌of the game it wanted to uphold. Bhutan's Ritshi Choden, coming on at number three after opener Ngawang Choden was bowled out off the first ball of the innings, was not at the crease within the stipulated two minutes after the fall of the previous wicket, leading to the Nepal players ⁠appealing for dismissal. The dismissal left Bhutan reeling at 0-2 after the first ball, chasing a target of 114 in the Twenty20 match. Bhutan could only score 62-8 in their 20 overs, as Nepal won their second straight Group D match in Mantin, Malaysia. "The incident involving the timed-out dismissal of a Bhutanese batter during today's match does not reflect the values and spirit of cricket that the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) strives to uphold," the nati...

  New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson took five ‌wickets as England's first innings ended for 140 at Lord's on Thursday, where the visitors chose to field on a rain-disrupted ⁠first day of the three-match test series. Jamieson took five wickets for 62 runs as he dismissed debutant opener Emilio Gay, Jamie Smith, captain Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson and Ollie Robinson. Harry Brook tried to steady ‌the ⁠innings as he scored 56 runs but got caught trying to hit Nathan Smith for six. Smith took three ⁠wickets and Will O'Rourke took two, while only five England batters reached double ⁠digits. Umpires called for an early lunch and then tea due ⁠to rain and bad light under dark clouds.

  The Philadelphia 76ers continued their front-office rebuild by naming Mike Gansey the president of basketball operations on Thursday. Gansey, 43, comes to Philadelphia after 15 seasons with the Cleveland ‌Cavaliers organization. He was promoted to general manager on Feb. 23, 2022, and the Cavaliers have won 259 games -- third most in the NBA -- since then. He replaces Daryl Morey, who parted ways with the Sixers on May 12 after six seasons ⁠as the franchise's top decision-maker for on-court matters. Gansey rose from a basketball operations seasonal assistant in his first year in Cleveland to a key role with the Cavaliers' G League affiliate and to assistant general manager before being named GM. "Today's announcement of the hiring of Mike Gansey is an important step in our desire to take the Philadelphia 76ers to the next level. Mike has built ‌a ⁠reputation as a tremendous leader and relentless worker who has a sharp eye for basketball talent," said Josh Harris...

  English Football League (EFL) Chief Executive Trevor Birch will leave his role at the end of ‌the 2026-27 season, the EFL said on Thursday. Birch, 68, has been in the position since 2021, having previously been an executive at ⁠several clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Leeds United. "Trevor has led the EFL with clarity and commitment during an important period for the League," chairman Rick Parry said in a statement. "The Board is thankful for his ‌contribution ⁠and fully supports the approach being taken to ensure an orderly handover and continued stability in the 12 months ⁠ahead." Birch has overseen the recent expansion from four to six teams in the Championship ⁠promotion playoffs, which comes into effect next season, and was a ⁠critic of the decision in 2024 to scrap FA Cup replays.

  Former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola will take over as ‌Liverpool’s manager on a two-year deal, the Premier League club said on Thursday. “You don’t need ⁠a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool," Iraola said in a statement. “But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the ‌club, ⁠the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance ⁠to fight for titles. I think it cannot be ⁠more attractive than this. It’s difficult to ⁠find it. So, really excited to start."

  Neymar will not travel to Cleveland for Brazil's World Cup warm-up match against Egypt ‌on Saturday as he continues to receive intensive treatment for a calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday. "Neymar will not ⁠travel with the delegation to Cleveland," the CBF said in a statement. "He will remain in New Jersey, undergoing physical therapy and intensifying his physical recovery program." Brazil's all-time leading scorer is sidelined by a Grade 2 ‌calf ⁠strain, a moderate muscle injury involving a partial tear. The Brazilian coaching staff remain hopeful that the 34-year-old will be ⁠available for their World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13. The five-time World Cup ⁠winners will also face Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

  Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk said she would carry her remarkable claycourt winning streak "to the grave" after it was ended by Russia's Mirra Andreeva in Thursday's French Open semi-finals, but the crowd's support for her war awareness efforts would be her defining memory of the tournament. Kostyuk's ‌6-1 6-3 semi-final defeat ended a 17-match winning run on clay this season, a stretch that included a Madrid Open title and a victory over Andreeva in the final. "For sure, my streak. I take it with me to the grave," Kostyuk told reporters with a smile. "Very happy with my claycourt season, just one loss. I would never believe it if someone told me this a couple of months ago." The 15th ⁠seed struggled to find her rhythm against a relentless Andreeva, who reached her maiden Grand Slam final, but refused to dwell on the defeat. "Everything that could go her way went her way. Everything that could not go my way didn't go my way," ...

  Jose Mourinho has filed a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights over disciplinary sanctions he received while coaching Turkish club Fenerbahce. The Strasbourg-based court has accepted the application from the Portuguese coach, says a notice on ‌its website on June 1, and has requested observations from the Turkish government. Mourinho is challenging a 600,000 Turkish lira ($13,074.74) fine plus a one-match ban from the dressing room and bench area imposed by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) after a 3-2 Super Lig win at Trabzonspor on November 3, 2024. The federation penalised Mourinho for unsportsmanlike conduct towards ⁠rival fans during the match, and for subsequent press comments criticising refereeing standards. Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half after VAR interventions and, with the score at 2-2, Mourinho was incensed when a challenge on one of his players went unpunished. Mourinho suggested VAR official Atilla Karaoglan had missed the i...

  Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed Pep Guardiola "quit 100 times" during a decade at the club before leaving at the end of the season, drawing a line under one of the most successful managerial reigns in English football. In a wide-ranging interview with City's in-house media, Al Mubarak said Guardiola repeatedly half-heartedly flirted with leaving over the years, only ‌to be persuaded to continue -- until the moment he knew the decision was final. "Inevitably over these last 10 years we've had a lot of ups and some downs. And in the downs, he must have quit 100 times," Al Mubarak said. "There's the story as you all know, 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf.' In the case of Pep, when he says I quit, it doesn't mean he's quitting. You don't take it that seriously, you have to manage him. "I always had a very clear understanding with Pep, because of that analogy of the 'Boy Who Cried ⁠Wolf': whenever he qu...

  Bayer Leverkusen have appointed Spaniard Carles Martinez Novell as their new manager on a two-year deal after ‌sacking Kasper Hjulmand, the Bundesliga club announced on Thursday. The former Toulouse coach, who is set to leave the French club after three years at the ⁠end of the month, takes over from Hjulmand, who leaves Leverkusen after one season in charge. "Bayer 04 Leverkusen has appointed Carles Martinez Novell as their new head coach," the club said in a statement. "He will take over ... on July 1, 2026, ‌and ⁠signed a contract valid until June 30, 2028. In Leverkusen, Martinez, whose contract in Toulouse expires at the end of the month, ⁠succeeds Kasper Hjulmand, who is leaving the club after one season." In his first senior coaching ⁠job, the 42-year-old Martinez has led Toulouse to three successive mid-table finishes in ⁠the French top flight. Leverkusen finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season.

  Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori retained their French Open mixed doubles title on Thursday, staging a comeback to defeat ‌American Evan King and Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski 4-6 6-3 (10-4). The Italian duo dominated the deciding match tiebreak on Court Philippe Chatrier and are the first pair to successfully defend the French Open mixed doubles title since ⁠Croatia's Ivan Dodig and Taiwan's Latisha Chan in 2018 and 2019. This latest triumph marks a remarkable run of success for Errani and Vavassori, securing their fourth mixed doubles trophy in the last seven Grand Slam tournaments, a stretch that includes back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2024 and 2025. The top-seeded duo needed 79 minutes to secure the ‌title ⁠and extend one of the most successful mixed doubles partnerships in recent years. "Still a dream for me," Errani said during the on-court trophy presentation. "All my dreams have been here. Andrea, ⁠you are my best friend. To share this with you is somet...

  France defender Ibrahima Konate said on Wednesday he battled depression following the deaths of Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and his father while continuing to fulfil his football duties. Portugal forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash last ‌July, while Konate's father, Hamady, passed away in January after a long illness. "There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so," Konate told France Inter radio. "It's true that I've often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside ⁠didn't understand because they were earning a lot of money. But that's rubbish and you shouldn't say that." The 27-year-old, who confirmed earlier this week he will leave Liverpool this summer, said Jota's death had taken a heavy toll on him. "It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything...

  Attendees of the World Cup will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into venues due to safety concerns, FIFA said on Thursday, following a last-minute change to its Stadium Code ‌of Conduct. The governing body, which had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums, said the updated code - effective from Tuesday - now prohibits them. Other items like bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown. "FIFA is committed to protecting ⁠the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff," it told Reuters in a statement. "FIFA made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees." "Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations and FIFA is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums." The move has raised concerns among supporters about coping with heat, with t...

  Jalen Brunson was beaten and battered but not dismayed, and the New York Knicks star had enough energy to orchestrate a fine George Gervin impersonation with an Iceman-like final quarter in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs icon surely appreciated Brunson's zest for heroics but the city of San Antonio was stunned over an opening defeat as the red-hot Knicks controlled the final two minutes while prevailing 105-95 on Wednesday night. Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the Knicks overcame ‌a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win their 12th consecutive playoff game, tied for the second-longest postseason streak in league history. "Jalen was MVP in the second half," New York coach Mike Brown said. "He was huge for us. He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do. He carried us home and we put the ball in his hands and he got it done for us down the stretch." Brunson had a rough time during the first half as he injured his right knee in...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Lagos is set to become the hub of youth basketball development this weekend as the Jordan Nwora Basketball Camp gets underway on Friday at the Ilupeju Basketball Court, with organizers promising three days of intensive training, mentorship and talent discovery. The camp, which will run until Sunday, is expected to attract 120 young players comprising 60 boys and 60 girls from different parts of Nigeria, all eager to sharpen their skills under the guidance of experienced coaches and basketball stakeholders. Originally scheduled to commence on June 14, the camp was brought forward due to logistical considerations, a move organizers say will not affect the quality of the programme. Speaking ahead of the event, Alex Nwora, a central figure in the organization of the camp, expressed confidence that all arrangements have been put in place for a successful outing. According to Nwora, participants can expect a well-structured programme designed to impr...

  Poland's Maja Chwalinska is loving her tennis at the moment and after becoming just the second qualifier in the Open era to reach the French Open semi-finals, the 24-year-old is delighted she returned from a mental health career break. Chwalinska, ranked 113th in the world coming into Roland Garros, had to battle her ‌way through three qualifying rounds in Paris and dropped one set in her eight-match run to the last four which culminated in Wednesday's 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Russia's Anna Kalinskaya. In 2021, Chwalinska announced she had been suffering with depression for over 18 months and was stepping away from the court. "I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing," Chwalinska told reporters after Wednesday's win. "But then I just ⁠couldn't get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I knew that I need to take a break, because otherwise I'm just not able to live. ...

  Jose Mourinho will return to manage Real Madrid if Florentino Perez wins the club's presidential election on Sunday, the sitting president confirmed on Wednesday as he campaigns for another term at the ‌helm of the LaLiga club. Perez, facing renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme in the club's first contested election for 20 years, delivered the campaign announcement through his social media channels with a short video featuring Mourinho saying simply: "Yes!" The clip followed the slogan "So MOUch history to be made", a not-so-subtle nod to the Portuguese ⁠coach who guided Real to a record LaLiga points tally in 2012 but last lifted a league title with Chelsea in 2015. The move for Mourinho follows a disappointing domestic campaign in which Barcelona secured back-to-back league titles. Real, 15-time Champions League winners, have also exited Europe's top club competition at the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons, with the absence of ma...