Sports

2025 All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship: Opeyori Clinches Seventh African Title as Team Nigeria Bags Three Medals

Published

4 months ago

February 16, 2025

Nigeria’s badminton star Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori has secured his seventh African title after a 2-0 (21-7, 23-21) victory over Egypt’s Adham Hatem Elgamal in the men’s singles final of the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship in Douala, Cameroon, on Sunday.

Opeyori came into the tournament as the defending champion and reaffirmed his dominance with a flawless run to the title. He began his campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Algeria’s M. Ouchefoun in the Round of 32, followed by another straight-set win against Reunion’s T. Cougouille in the Round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he overcame a tough challenge from Mauritius’ J. Bongout, securing a 2-1 victory. The semifinal saw him dispatch Morocco’s Bourroum P. Nolem in straight sets before clinching the title with his final win against Elgamal.

His final match saw the Nigerian star showcase his experience, composure, and technical brilliance. He stormed through the first set 21-7 before holding off a spirited fightback from the Egyptian in the second, eventually sealing the gold medal with a 23-21 win.

The victory cements Opeyori’s status as Africa’s best, making him a five-time consecutive champion of the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championships (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025). He has also won two All-Africa Games gold medals (2019 and 2023/2024), bringing his total continental singles titles to seven.

Reacting to his victory, an elated Opeyori credited his success to hard work and perseverance.

“This victory means a lot to me. It has been a tough tournament, but I stayed focused and gave my best in every match. Coming in as the defending champion, I knew I had a target on my back, but I was determined to retain my title,” he said.

“Winning my seventh African gold is a huge achievement, and I’m grateful to my coaches, teammates, the Nigerian Badminton Federation, and the National Sports Commission for their support. I hope this inspires younger players to keep pushing for excellence,” he added.

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, praised Opeyori’s performance, extolling the two-time Olympian’s consistency and contribution to Nigerian badminton.

“Anuoluwapo Opeyori has once again proven why he is Africa’s best. His dedication, discipline, and winning mentality continue to raise the profile of Nigerian badminton. This victory is not just for him but for the entire country. We are proud of his achievements and remain committed to supporting him and other players as we prepare for more international competitions,” he said.

He further added: “I also want to appreciate the entire Team Nigeria contingent for their strong display throughout the tournament. The effort and resilience of our coaches and players in all categories were commendable, and we remain confident in their ability to achieve even greater success on the global stage.”

The six-day championship, which ran from February 10-16, saw Nigeria field 10 athletes—five men and five women—who competed across five categories. Team Nigeria finished the tournament with three medals—one gold and two bronze—as the mixed doubles pair of Ukeh Deborah and Alhaji Aliyu Shehu secured bronze against Egypt, while the men’s doubles duo of Ikechukwu Victor and Emmanuel Joseph won bronze against Algeria.

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Sports

No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday

Published

2 hours ago

June 8, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS), known for its orderliness since its establishment in 1990, continues to uphold its standards ahead of the upcoming Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.

With members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, NAWIS has consistently operated without external interference.

Over the years, its members have been nominated to various boards of national sports federations after meeting established criteria, including the payment of annual dues.

The association has attracted a strong base of respected sportswomen who have served the country with distinction, both during and after their active careers.

In preparation for the AFN elections, zonal elections were conducted on June 2 and 3, producing representatives for the national exercise.

While NAWIS initially planned to hold its election in Zaria, Kaduna State, the association’s headquarters, it was later rescheduled for Abuja on Monday, June 9, following directives from higher authorities.

Importantly, NAWIS has a set of strict guidelines that govern its electoral process, particularly the requirement for timely payment of annual dues. Failure to meet this condition results in automatic disqualification.

This guideline was the basis for the disqualification of Maria Wophil, who has reportedly not paid her annual dues since 2017. Her attempt to hurriedly settle outstanding debts just before the election was deemed non-compliant with NAWIS regulations.

Who is Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju?

Commonwealth gold medallist Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju is one of the leading contenders for the NAWIS representative position in the AFN.

She made history as the first African woman to run the 400m in under 50 seconds and brought glory to Nigeria by winning a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Yusuf-Olukoju also claimed gold in the 400m at the 1991 All-Africa Games and silver in the 200m.

Based on nominations and her track record, Yusuf-Olukoju is considered the most qualified candidate. However, three other contenders have also shown interest, and the final decision will be made in the election slated for Monday, June 9, in Abuja.

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