The second edition of the Niger Delta Games has been officially declared open in Benin City, Edo State, with leaders calling for more investment in youths and women through sports.

The opening ceremony took place on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where Edo State’s culture and heritage were displayed in colourful fashion.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, said sports remain a strong tool for unity and empowerment. He praised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for sustaining the initiative and said his government is focused on developing people alongside infrastructure.

“The maiden edition showed that when government provides the platform, youths will respond,” Tinubu said.

“Niger Delta youths are creative and ready to compete. Beyond medals and trophies, this game is about talent discovery. Nigeria must lead. Young talents must see sport as a pathway to career and global recognition.”

He added, “I must task the sponsors, NDDC, to expand its opportunities and invest in initiatives that empower the youths and women. Sports remained an instrument of unity and empowerment known to mankind.”

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, announced a reward of N20 million for the winning state and N10 million for the runner-up. He said the games represent more than competition.

“The games are a powerful statement that the Niger Delta is not only defined by its resources, but also by its resilience, talent, and boundless human potential,” Okpebholo said.

“Through sports, discipline is taught. Through sports, character is built. Through sports, boundaries disappear.”

He urged athletes to compete with pride and integrity, adding, “You are the pride of the Niger Delta. You carry the dreams of millions of young people who look to you for inspiration.”

NDDC Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, called on state governors to support the games and confirmed the commission’s commitment to continue sponsoring the event.

“This competition is aimed at the amateur. From here they will be professional. All athletes come from their respective states. Let us use what we have to groom our athletes,” Ogbuku said.

“This competition has come to stay. This is part of our intervention in sports.”

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Asuquo Ekenyoung, also promised National Assembly support for youth development and entrepreneurship initiatives.

More than 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states are taking part in the seven-day sports festival, which is organised by Dunamis Icons and sponsored by the NDDC.

Igor Tudor has acknowledged Tottenham are in an “emergency situation” but believes the quality of the squad can steer them clear of Premier League relegation worries.

Tudor faced the media for the first time on Friday and fielded questions on Spurs’ precarious league position, a hefty injury list and the daunting prospect of a managerial debut in a north London derby against Arsenal.

The 47-year-old is no stranger to a crisis situation after taking over at Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in difficult moments and was defiant before his maiden Premier League match on Sunday.

“Style of play comes from pre-season when you have 50 days and you have 20 players. Of course when you have the style, very concrete, but now this is an emergency,” Tudor pointed out after he declared to be “100 per cent” confident of survival.

“An emergency situation when you need to find fast what suits the 10 (outfield) plus three players and it’s totally different.

“You have to go day by day, week by week.

“Let’s see what we can do. If you ask me what we are going to see on Sunday? Then I believe something concrete, good that the people will like, but it’s also about working, doing your best and then you will see on Sunday.”

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Arsenal are favourites to win a first league title since 2004, but even if they had not been the most dominant team in the division, this would still be one of the most difficult fixtures for a new Spurs head coach to make his debut in.

Yet Tudor pushed back by saying: “Is it a good time to play against Arsenal at home? It’s always a good time to play against Arsenal at home.

“Good if you are not in a good moment, of course. If you are not in a good moment, of course, so let’s go.

“We respect them but we play at home. Let’s see what will happen. We need to have courage, confidence. We have good players, they have good players, so let’s see what will happen.

“Be humble but brave, intelligent. The right things to do to put in the pitch. We play at home, eh?”

This is Tudor’s 12th different managerial role since he started out at Hajduk in 2013, but he bristled at the suggestion of sampling life in London during his time off over their next three months.

The former Croatia centre-back was also quizzed on the meaning of the term ‘Spursy’ and claimed to “never heard” of the popular social-media phrase.

While the task at hand is sizeable given Tottenham have won only two of their last 17 league fixtures, Tudor’s belief was unwavering.

“I come here not to visit the city, I have come here to make a job at a very difficult moment for this club,” Tudor insisted.

“What I saw this week is the quality of the player, we have enormous quality in the players even though some of them are not with us, but they will come back.

“On Sunday we will have 13 good players. It’s about that.”

The Lindsay Park-trained Evaporate remains without a Group 1 win to date, but his handlers are convinced that top-tier glory awaits the four-year-old soon.

Ben, Will and J D Hayes have the galloper primed for an autumn opener in Saturday’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Evaporate is a more seasoned athlete this preparation, as per Ben Hayes, setting him up nicely for what lies ahead.

He boasts five prior Group 1 runs, achieving podium finishes thrice: third in the Caulfield Guineas, second place in the Toorak Handicap, and third most recently in the C F Orr Stakes behind Jimmysstar.

In his younger days as a three-year-old, Lindsay Park entered him in the Cox Plate, where Via Sistina beat him comprehensively, and he ran fourth behind Mr Brightside in last year’s Futurity Stakes before heading overseas to New Zealand.

Following the Orr placing, Evaporate took a quick spell before the customary Lindsay Park two jump-outs leading into Saturday.

“I think he’s trialled up very well this time around,” Hayes said.

“What we really like is he seems a lot more relaxed and has shown us a really good turn of foot in both his jump-outs and his work at home.

He’s a horse that has always shown us above average ability and it’s a race he can run very well in.

“He has already shown that he is capable at weight-for-age before and he’s a more hardened horse now.”

Co-trainer Hayes sees Evaporate tougher now, but Treasurethe Moment represents a tough hurdle on Saturday.

She resumed victorious in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes last spring, at Caulfield over 1400m, upsetting Mr Brightside.

“It would be nice to get that Group 1 on his CV,” Hayes said of Evaporate.

“He’s a Group 1 horse, but we’re going to run into a horse like Treasurethe Moment who was amazing last spring campaign.

“But I think we’ve improved, which we have to, to beat her.”

Discover competitive betting markets for the race ahead of the Futurity Stakes.

Joni Taylor is the 2026 recipient of the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award. The Texas A&M women’s basketball coach received the award after a unanimous vote from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley took to X to give Taylor her flowers.

“@CoachJoniTaylor, there’s not a big enough bouquet of flowers to celebrate you for who you are and what you represent to us! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Much deserved!” Staley wrote.

Joni Taylor started her coaching career as an assistant at Troy. She took up the job shortly after graduating from Alabama, where she starred as a power forward and center.

Taylor had other stints as an assistant, namely with Louisiana Tech, Alabama, LSU and Georgia. She became the Georgia Bulldogs coach in April 2015. Taylor spent seven seasons in the role, posting winning records each year.

Taylor became the Texas A&M coach on March 23, 2022. She’s looking to guide the program to success in the uber-competitive SEC. The Aggies are currently 11-11 (4-9) in the 2025-26 season. They’re fresh off an 82-74 win against the No. 21-ranked Tennessee Vols, and their next game is against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Dawn Staley and Joni Taylor made history in 2021

History was made at the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Georgia Bulldogs. That game was the first time two Black women head coaches met in a Power Five conference tournament championship.

Dawn Staley coached the Gamecocks to a win over Joni Taylor’s Bulldogs. The duo embraced before and after the showdown.

“You can’t dream what you can’t see,” said Taylor after the game.

“So (the SEC title game) was a chance for people to dream something that they haven’t seen before.”

Taylor has since taken her talent to Texas A&M, while Staley remains South Carolina’s coach. The latter is vying for a winning season, while the latter is aiming for yet another national championship to add to an impressive haul.