Badminton
OPEYORI, ADESOKAN RULE AT GOLDEN STAR NATIONAL BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP AS LAGOS EMERGES OVERALL WINNERS
Top seeds- Anuoluwapo Opeyori and Dorcas Adesokan – emerged the winners of the second edition of the Katsina Golden Star National Badminton Championship, which came to an end at the weekend.
Opeyori defeated Eneojo Abah 21-16, 21-19 in the men’s singles event, while Adesokan beat Deborah Ukeh 21-12, 18-21, 21-10 to remain top on the rankings and smile home with N150, 000 each.
Abah and Ukeh, who finished second also got N100, 00 each for their efforts, while joint third and fourth got N70, 000 each. The 5th to 8th place finishers (four) got 40,000 each, while the 9th to 16th (8 players got 10,000 each).
In the men’s doubles event, Opeyori partnered Godwin Olofua to beat the pair of Habeeb Bello and Usman Isiaq 21-11, 21-15 to cart home the top prize. In the women’s doubles event, Adesokan joined forces with Augustina Sunday to defeat the pair of Deborah Ukeh and Peace Orji.
In the mixed doubles, Abah and Orji combined to beat Ciroma Emmanuel and Zainab Alabi 21-11, 21-14.
Winners in the doubles event got 70,000 each, second place finishers got 45,000 each, while the joint third and fourth (four players) got 30,000 each. The 5th to 8th place finishers (eight players) got N15, 000.
In one of the major high points of the tournament, two of the junior players that went to Algeria for the Africa Youth Games made it to the quarter finals in the men’s singles event. The boys are: Daniel Christopher from Lagos State and Balarabe Umar from Bauchi State, Umar went on and made it to the semi-finals of the championship.
Also from the girl’s junior team, Zainab Alabi from Kwara state made it to the semi-finals in the women’s singles.
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih commended the players for putting up their best at the championship. He commended the junior players who gave a good account of themselves urging them to do better in subsequent championships.
“I must commend the players for the good job they have dome at the tournament. Their performance shows that the future of badminton is bright in Nigeria. The BFN will continue to partner sponsors who will invest in the development of the game and players.
“The junior players have also done well for themselves and hopefully, they will become the stars and ambassadors of the game in future,” Orbih added.
Meanwhile, Lagos State emerged the overall winners with two gold medals in the men’s singles and men’s doubles as well as a bronze medal in the men’s single. Ogun State was second with one gold medal.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has continued its nationwide grassroots development drive with a two-day outreach training held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Organised in collaboration with the Adamawa State Sports Council, the State Ministry of Education, and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Adamawa chapter, the training took place on 24 and 25 September 2025 at the General Murtala Mohammed College hall.
A total of 20 Physical Education teachers and 80 secondary school students from the Yola area participated in the intensive programme, which aimed to introduce badminton to schools and promote the sport at the grassroots level.
The training was facilitated by a team of five coaches led by George Shitta, who also serves as the Director of Sports at the Taraba State Sports Commission. Participants were taken through the fundamentals of badminton, including grip techniques, footwork, serving, stroke execution, game strategy, and proper warm-up routines.
According to the organisers, the programme was part of the BFN’s ongoing partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, which has supported similar “Shuttle Time” and “Outreach Badminton Training” sessions across the country over the past three years. These sessions are designed to help teachers and students learn the game together while fostering teamwork, discipline, and social development.
The trainees actively engaged with the coaches — asking questions, sharing experiences, and demonstrating newly acquired skills. At the end of the programme, each participating school received badminton kits, including rackets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to help sustain practice beyond the training.
The Director of the Adamawa State Sports Council, Mr. Daniel Ahmed, graced the event, while the lead facilitator, George Shitta, paid courtesy visits to key education stakeholders — Hajiya Aisha M. Umar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and Birsan Panuel, Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
Organisers described the initiative as a model of effective collaboration among sports authorities, education agencies, and development partners — a partnership they hope will continue to enhance both the academic and athletic growth of teachers, coaches, and students in Adamawa State.
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The curtain fell on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, with host nation Nigeria making the podium and the event earning praise as a model for sports tourism in Africa.
Though global heavyweights dominated the finals, Nigeria’s Obanisola and her partner gave the home crowd reason to cheer by clinching bronze in the Women’s Doubles, ensuring the green and white were represented on the podium.
Elsewhere, India’s S. Lele defended her Women’s Singles crown with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over compatriot Kashyap, while Russia’s neutral duo Alimov and Ogloblin sealed Men’s Doubles gold against UAE’s Ravikrishna and Rimdahoi.
Tournament organizers hailed the event as a resounding success. “The Lagos International Badminton Classics has once again proven that Nigeria is ready to host world-class sporting events,” said Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN). “We are building a brand that showcases Africa’s talent, hospitality, and passion for badminton.”
With $17,500 prize money shared among winners and athletes praising the hospitality of Lagos, the championship reaffirmed Nigeria’s growing profile as a hub for global sports. The 9th edition in 2026 promises an even bigger spectacle.
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Indonesia stamped their authority on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics, turning the Teslim Balogun Stadium into a stage of triumph as they swept multiple gold medals on the final day of action.
From the opening Mixed Doubles clash to the showpiece Men’s Singles final, the Southeast Asian powerhouse asserted its dominance.
The pair of Prasetyo and Munggaren set the tone by defeating India’s Ravat and Maneesha 21-15, 21-17, before P. Shujiwo powered past Japan’s M. Koga 21-15, 21-17 in a pulsating Men’s Singles final.
The Indonesians celebrate in style
The Women’s Doubles final confirmed Indonesia’s superiority, with Meida and Nastine dispatching UAE’s Quathun and Sreejithparol in just 25 minutes (21-18, 21-7), the shortest contest of the evening.
The highlight of the celebrations came as Indonesia’s national anthem echoed repeatedly through the Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall, with Ambassador Bambang Suharto personally presenting the Men’s Singles trophy to Shujiwo — a moment that underscored the national pride attached to the victories.
With three golds and several silver finishes, Indonesia emerged as the undisputed star nation of Africa’s premier badminton competition.
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