Nigeria’s number 1 badminton player, Anuoluwa Opeyori has won his third African title in a space of five years to assert himself as Africa’s undisputable champion.
His latest victory came in South Africa at the weekend as he beat Mauritius Julien Paul 18-21, 21-13, 21-18 to win the gold medal of the Men’s singles of the All Africa Senior Championships.
It was not an easy feat as the Nigerian delegation was psychologically drained even before the championship owing to non-issuance of travel visa to four of the ten-man team.
With his latest win, Opeyori has added to earlier titles won in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 2019 and Kampala, Uganda in 2022.
He had also won the Men’s Singles title at the African Games in Morocco in 2019 to make it four titles in five years!
His spirit was initially dampened following the inability of four of his teammates to obtain an entry visa into South Africa for the competition.
The affected players were: Aliyu Alhaji Shehu, Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan, Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola and Ramatu Yakubu.
That reduced the Nigerian field and narrowed the possibility of the country making a good impact.
It is worthy of note that this is the second time in recent years that a Nigerian contingent to the All Africa Senior Championships will have serious and demoralising problems regarding their visas. The first was when the Team was travelling to Egypt for the All Africa Senior championships in 2020.
Anuoluwapo Opeyori in the 2022 edition arrived Uganda as the sole participant from Nigeria and went all the way up to clinch the Men’s Singles gold medal, thereby becoming King of African badminton for the second time after his feat in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
His drive, youth, strength, determination and skill saw him stepping onto the courts with a strong message when he easily routed Mauritius player Julien Paul in two straight sets during the Mixed Team event part of the 2023 edition of the championships before confirming his intention to leave no prisoners.
He muscled his way into the Individual Championship segment of the edition.
He was loud and clear as the competition served off. His intention was clear - to clear off all dissenting oppositions on his way to the throne.
His form was devastating to all that came his way. He easily dispatched his opponents with ruthless efficiency. They fell like packs of cards blown by the hurricane.
Opeyori began the individual event easily, out stroking Trinity Chimpumho of Zimbabwe 21-8, 21-9. Next to succumb to his firepower was homeboy, Ruan Snyman who also fell in two straight sets of 21-11 and 21-16 at the Round of 16.
Only Zambia’s Kalombo Mulenga showed a little resistance. But ‘Hurricane Opeyori’ blew him away after the Zambian narrowly took the first set at 19-21.
Opeyori with fury of thunder smashed out the Zambian 21-10 in the next set and 21-19 in the third set of the quarter-final duel to win the match.
With the games getting tougher as the championship tie beckoned, Opeyori won the semi-finals against another homeboy, Robert Summers, 21-19 and 21-15 before his title match with the Mauritian.
It’s a new beginning, remarked the Badminton Federation of Nigeria president, Francis Orbih who admitted that the sport in Nigeria suffered a setback following an initial internal wrangling that was only resolved last year.
“We are back to reassert our commanding stature in Africa”, he concluded.
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