Abi Ekoku

Abi Ekoku
Personal information
Born (1966-04-13) 13 April 1966
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1993–95 London Crusaders 27 15 0 0 60
1995–96 Halifax Blue Sox 24+5 9 0 0 36
1997–98 Bradford Bulls 24+4 7 0 0 28
Total 84 31 0 0 124
Source: [1][2]
Sports career
SportAthletics
Event
Discus throw
ClubBelgrave Harriers
Medal record
Discus
Representing  England
UK Championships[3]
3rd 1989
2nd 1990
1st 1992
British National Championships (AAA)[4]
2nd 1989
1st 1990
2nd 1992

Abagi Bienose Ekoku (born 13 April 1966) is a former track and field athlete in both discus and shot put, as well as a former professional rugby league footballer.

Sporting career

Athletics

Ekoku represented Great Britain at the European Athletics Championships and was National Champion in the Discus in 1990 and 1992[3][5][6]. He represented England in Discus and Shot Put at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.[7][8][9][10]

Rugby league

Ekoku spent six years as a professional rugby league footballer as a wing. He started his rugby league career with the London Crusaders, playing on a part-time basis whilst also lecturing in further education. He was signed by Halifax in July 1995, and played in the inaugural Super League season with the club. He joined the Bradford Bulls in 1997, helping the club win the Super League that year, and also played in the 1997 Challenge Cup against St. Helens at Wembley.

Ekoku announced his retirement from playing in 1998 and became chairman of the Rugby League Players' Association. He quit this post in 1999 and had a brief spell as chief executive at the Keighley Cougars before being appointed by the Bradford Bulls in a similar role. Ekoku was chief executive at Bradford Bulls from 2000 to 2003 - a period in which the club won the Super League, Challenge Cup and World Club Championship.

Ekoku returned to the game in 2005 as an anti-doping tutor before being appointed team manager for Great Britain in 2006. He stepped down from this role at the end of 2007.[11]

Personal life

Ekoku's brother Efan is a former professional footballer who represented the Nigeria national football team, and as of 2011 is a football pundit with ESPN.

References

  1. ^ From Fulham to Wembley, 20 years of rugby league in London, edited by Dave Farrar and Peter Lush, published by London League Publications Ltd, page 264
  2. ^ rugbyleagueproject.org
  3. ^ a b GBR athletics UK results
  4. ^ GBR Athletics - AAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)
  5. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  6. ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  7. ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
  8. ^ "England team in 1990". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  10. ^ 1990 Commonwealth Results at sporting heroes
  11. ^ "Ekoku ends tenure as GB manager". BBC Sport. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
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