Top 5 Sports Stars of the Month (June)

Many Nigerians have been astonishing in their various sports. We have selected five who have been remarkable in their achievements for the month of June.

In no particular order, meeting CN Hub’s Top 5 Sports Stars

Aruna Quadri

Without a doubt, the current ITTF’s 20th best table tennis player in the World, Aruna Quadri makes the list The Commonwealth Games Silver medalist, known for his forehand-oriented playing style, has dominated table tennis in Nigeria since he reached the quarter finals in the Men’s Singles Competition of the 2014 World Cup. The table tennis maestro is a member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the first ever Nigerian to break into the ITTF top 20 World ranking.

Josh Okogie

Young, Energetic, Nigerian. All these describe the second man on our list, Josh Okogie. The 19 year old was drafted by Minnesota Timberwolves with the 20th pick in the NBA draft in June 2018. With his new team there’s yet a lot more we’ll see the youngster accomplish.

 

Ike Diogu

D’Tigers skipper, Ike Diogu, for his dexterity strength and resolve to return the Nigerian senior men’s basketball team to their place atop Africa’s basketball teams, makes our list. Ike Diogu co-captained D’Tigers to a first place finish at the 2015 Afrobasket championships in Tunisia, and led the team to a silver finish two years later, relinquishing their title to Tunisia. The skipper is on his natural side yet again, leading D’Tigers into the finals of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers with no defeats recorded for the team so far.

Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor

Okagbare‘s strength and courage so far, despite the challenges the sprinter has been facing, deserves a place on our list. Okagbare failed to show up for the 100m race at the Stade de la Pontaise on Thursday evening at the IAAF Diamond League’s eighth stop in Laussane. Reasons as to why the athlete was absent from the event for a second time (first in 2014) are yet to be known. However for her progress so far, she deserves some accolades.

 

Ahmed Musa

On June 22nd 2018, Nigerians were all of one heart and mind as streets the nation over were agog with Nigerians celebrating Nigeria’s first World Cup victory thanks to Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa. A brace from Musa in the second-half of Nigeria’s second World Cup fixture against Iceland gave Nigeria her first three points and a hope of making it into the Rounds of 16 of the tournament. However, that hope was dashed when the Super Eagles lost their final World Cup game against Argentina. Musa established himself in Russia as a very quick-to-respond forward, with such speed and tenacity. For that he gets a place one our list.