Badminton
Ambode Gives Badminton a Boost
The Lagos International Badminton Classics, the biggest badminton competition in Africa has received a further boost from the governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.
According to Francis Orbih, the chairman of the Lagos State Badminton Association and President-elect of Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), the Lagos
State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has raised the prize money for the third edition of the competition from $15,000 to $20,000.
Coincidentally, the first sporting outing of Governor Ambode when he assumed office in 2015 was the attendance of the maiden edition of the classics.
The third edition is scheduled to commence on July 26, five days after Francis Orbih would have assumed office as the president of the BFN. The tournament will run through to July 29.
Francis Orbih said at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday that Ambode lived up to his promise after attending the second edition of the event in 2015.
“The governor attended the last classics, which had $15,000 as prize money and promised to increase the money; that is why we have $20,000 as the new prize money for the event, which is the biggest in Africa, thanks to the governor,” Orbih stated.
He added that winners in the men and women’s singles categories would pocket $2,200 each, while runners-up get $1,175. Winners and runners-up in the doubles events would also get cash prizes as well as players who reached various stages of the classics.
Players from 11 countries namely Israel, India, Italy, Uganda, Cameroon, Ghana, Benin Republic, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Portugal and hosts Nigeria are expected to compete at the event, which has been moved from Rowe Park to the Molade Okoya-Thomas indoor sports of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Former champion and world number 50 Israel’s Misha Zilberman is the highest ranked player at the classics while Nigeria’s highest ranked players are Habeeb Bello (299) and Clement Krobakpor (313).
Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission Deji Tinubu said a major reason for the hosting of the event was to help Nigerian players improve in the rankings and also to showcase the rich culture of Lagos.
“The rankings of our players will remain down if they don’t go out to play or we don’t create an event like this that is certified by the world body for them to compete.
“That is why we must commend the Lagos State Badminton Association for organising this classics, which is also meant to display the excellence of the state,” Tinubu stated.
Meanwhile, emerging youngster Anuoluwapo Opeyori, winner of the 2017 Cote d’Ivoire International Futures Series, says he’s prepared to give the big players a run for their money at the Lagos classics.
The 20-year-old said, “I expect to get to the highest level at the event and that is winning it. I have seen the big players play before, and they are beatable. I’m prepared for the challenge”.
Badminton
Badminton chieftain, Orbih dreams of ‘born-again’ Lagos International Badminton Classic
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The Lagos International Badminton Classics may from the next edition step up to the next level with a reinvigorated government-private partnership initiative.
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) Francis Orbih believes that the governments at all levels cannot fund sports alone and if sports need to develop the private sector also has a role to play in its development in the country.
Orbih made the call on Saturday while addressing newsmen during the closing ceremony of the 7th edition of the Lagos Badminton Classics which took place at the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall inside the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
“Nigeria players need more encouragement and support because you know it will be difficult for most of these players to travel out for this kind of championships.
“And that is why we try to make this event an annual event so that they can have that opportunity to play the game at this level” Orbih hinted.
“They need the exposure because without it, there is a limit to what you can do so we have to challenge them, and to whom much is given, much is expected, and it is the much we can give to them that determines the much we expect from them”.
“In giving this much, we need the private sector for sports to grow and develop because the government cannot do it alone” Orbih emphasized.
On the just concluded 7th edition of the tournament Orbih noted that the championship has lived up to his expectations even though the Federation can do better, and one practice which they have adopted is to surpass the performance of the previous edition while hosting a current edition.
He further added that Nigeria had a good outing as we reached some semifinals in some categories while the mixed doubles reached the finals.
“For the men’s singles, our number one player was edged out in the quarterfinal, and it was at this same level in last year’s edition that he was edged out”. “We thought he would have improved this year and reach the final but that was not possible but I am expecting that we will improve on his performance in the next edition” an optimistic Orbih added
Orbih did not fail to remind all that Opeyori’s rise to stardom in Nigeria and Africa as whole was a journey that started so many years ago and so much need to be done if the younger ones have to rise to his level in the future.
“A lot of people who see Opeyori today think he just got to this level over night”. “They do not know what he has gone through to become Africa’s number one. We as a federation need to go back to the age-grade tournament at the U12, U15 and U17 level so we can start preparing them with lots of exposure to attain his level”. “There is no magic and there is no short cut and if we need to get more players like Opeyori, we need to invest more at the age-grade level and that is it”.
He also did not fail to state that Opeyori started the Lagos Badminton Classics from its first edition in 2014 and it was his exposure over the years through the event and other championships that gave him the experience needed which made him qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
On India’s domination of the Lagos Badminton Classics, Orbih noted that India is a powerhouse as far as badminton is concerned and it is because this tournament has a lot of world ranking players that makes it good for Nigerian players to take part in it so that they can also acquire exposure too.
Badminton
It’s Indian delight at Lagos International Badminton Classic
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The Indians are having a swell time at the Lagos International Badminton Classic.
Not only did an Indian player, Samarveer responsible for Nigeria’s Anuoluwapo Opeyori’s ouster at the quarter-finals, the Indians have won the mixed doubles beating a Nigerian pair.
They were delighted at the relative ease of their accomplishment.
The duo of Kanapuram Sathwik Reddy and Khadkekarr Vaishnavi expressed their shock on how easy it was for them to beat Nigeria’s duo of Shehu, Alhaji Aliyu and Ukeh, Uchechukwu Deborah in the finals of the mixed doubles on home ground.
The game which was played on court two of the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall on Saturday, saw the Indians record two straight wins against Nigeria to win 2-0 (21-12,21-14).
Speaking after the win, both players who were overjoyed about their wins expressed themselves.
“It’s my first time of playing in Nigeria” Reddy started “And am glad this game ended very well, we are happy to win and we never expected it would come this easy”
“When we reached the final and were going to play Nigeria we thought it was going to be very tough because of the home crowd, but it was not” he said.
Adding her voice a delighted Vaishnavi also appreciated the warm reception given by the host country in organizing the tournament.
“I am happy with the environment and reception here, the atmosphere is peaceful and the people are very nice, we feel very happy winning” she concluded.
The Indians who have dominated the finals of the doubles in previous editions edged Nigeria’s side to win the mixed doubles.
It will also be recalled that Nigeria’s duo of Shehu Alhaji Aliyu and Ukeh, Uchechukwu Deborah reached the finals of this edition without lifting their racket, as they walked over their French opponents who were ruled out due to arm injury.
Badminton
India Stops Nigeria From Reaching Final of Women’s Doubles
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
Nigeria’s duo of Dorcas Ajoke and Ilori Aminat on Friday failed to reach the final of the women’s doubles of the Lagos Badminton Classic at the Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The duo suffered two straight defeats at the hands of India’s Singhi Simran and Selvan Kavipriya who defied the slim efforts made by the home fans to cheer the Nigerian sides to victory.
The game which was played on court 2 was however slightly disrupted by power supply barely five minutes of play but that did not stop the Asian side from getting the job done when power was restored.
In a later development, Nigeria’s duo of Shehu Alhaji Aliyu and Ukeh Uchechukwu Deborah also reached the final of the mixed doubles without lifting their rackets.
The duo benefited from a walk over which took them to the final after their French opponents of Maio Julien and Palermo Lea were ruled out due to arm injury.
The championship comes to a close this Saturday.
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