Francis Orbih, the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, has expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance at the African Games, where Nigeria clinched a gold medal in the men’s singles event.
Orbih, while acknowledging the disappointment of the cancellation of the doubles event due to facility issues, highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s qualification for the Olympics, which was a major achievement during the tournament.
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In his remarks, Orbih credited the All-Africa Seniors tournament for providing valuable preparation opportunities for the team.
He emphasized the importance of two national championships held towards the end of the previous year, which helped shape the composition of the national team for the African Games and the Olympic qualifiers.
These championships played a crucial role in determining the players invited for training camps, ensuring that the team was well-prepared for the upcoming events.
Orbih praised the dedication and hunger displayed by the players, noting their strong desire to perform well and make Nigeria proud on the international stage.
He singled out Anuoluwapo, the gold medalist in the men’s singles event, highlighting the significance of his victory in securing qualification for the Olympics.
Despite facing stiff competition from other players who had participated in more championship qualifiers, Anuoluwapo’s success in Egypt and at the African Games elevated his ranking and solidified his position as an Olympic qualifier.
“The two other people who were in contention for the slot from Africa had been ahead of him because they had played about 16-17 championship qualifiers and Anu could only play about 9 or 10,” Orbih explained.
“They had played more but he was still in contention. But luckily, he won in Egypt, and he won here, and both were all Olympic qualifiers. So that gave him a huge boost.”
Orbih concluded by emphasizing the significance of Nigeria’s achievement in securing Olympic qualification and expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well at the upcoming Olympics.
The success at the African Games serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication of Nigeria’s badminton athletes, showcasing their potential on the international stage.
