Best and Worst of 2023 Eagles, once again, Gladiators, came so close; year to forget for Mboma

It is that time of the year once again when we reflect on the highs and lows of the year in our sporting fraternity and look at athletes and teams who excelled and those that failed to make the grade this year, a year of which some will describe as a very successful year.

There were more positives than negatives for our athletes and teams despite the difficulties that continue to hamper the development of sport due to lack of funding, which is still expected to continue next year unless a miracle happens.

Let us start with the men’s senior cricket side, nicknamed the Richelieu Eagles, who cannot stop qualifying for the Cricket World Cup after securing other qualifications for the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup that will be held in the US and India, which is also the country’s third successive qualification to the tournament.

The Richelieu Eagles were also at the 2021 edition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 2022 in Australia, respectively, which needs to be applauded, especially considering that cricket is still not the number one sport code in the country.

However, its achievement is second to none.

Another national team that will also be heading to a major tournament is the senior men’s football side, nicknamed the Brave Warriors, which will be going to its fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast despite being homeless.