Africa’s women’s footballers keeping fit during lockdown

Africa’s women’s footballers have taken to social media in their quest to remain sane, and keep fit at the same time during coronavirus lockdown in their respective countries.

In Turkey, Kenya’s Esse Akida had just completed a move to defending champions Besiktas before football was stopped. With the stoppage, she has been training on her own at the club’s base and joining her mates in online team training sessions.

Barcelona and Nigerian forward Assisat Oshoala, current Caf Women’s Player of the Year, has used the time out to connect to her fans and even has a live ‘Q and A’ session lined up. Even amidst that, she has been keeping fit with her own indoors training.

Teammate Francisca Ordega has also shared videos of her training at her home in Nigeria as the struggle to remain fit continued. At the same time, Ordega has shown off her culinary skills in several videos she has posted on her Instagram account.

Chinaza Uchendu shared videos of her trying out the toilet paper juggling challenge while also sharing her love for music with a video on her Twitter account singing along to popular Nigerian Musician Yemi Alade’s collaboration with Angelique Kidjo ‘Shekere’.

Just as France-based forward Desire Oparanozie on a workout session at home.

On breaks, South Africa’s Janine Van Wyk has her pet cat also joining her session, slowly gliding through the slalom she’s placed at her backyard. The Banyana Banyana skipper was an integral part of the side that made it into the Women’s World Cup for the first time ever last year.

Her teammate Jermaine Seoposenwe is not left out and is seen going through drills at home with a surprise ‘dumbbell’ as part of urging people to stay at home and stay fit as well.

One of the few lucky ones to have football back is Malawian forward and skipper Tabitha Chawinga who turns out for Chinese Women’s Super League side Jiangsu Suning. With China now almost back to normal after defeating the virus, teams have been allowed to get back to training.

Chawinga posted a video on her Facebook page training with her Ghanaian teammate Elizabeth Addo, with smiles all over her face as they resumed field training.

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo