…Now Africa’s best, 18th world best
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government has honoured its Para Badminton team which represented Nigeria in the Para Badminton World Championship held in Thailand from February 19 to 25, for its impressive performance at the tournament.
The team won 9 gold, 3 silver and 12 Bronze medals at the different events at the tournament.
It made world history for the country and African continent as it produced the first player to reach the Quarter Finals, a feat that had hitherto eluded the country.
Nnanna Chigozie Jeremiah, reached the Quarter Finals, the first African to achieve such record ahead of the 2024 Paris Para Olympic tournament.
With the new feat, Jeremiah is now the 18th best Para Olympic player in the world.
He had participated in different Badminton events in five countries of United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Egypt and Japan.
Similarly, four other players from Abia State who also represented Nigeria at the Thailand international Badminton tournament, put up impressive performance at the tournament.
They include: Chinyere Okoro, Sunday Eze, Gift Chukwuemeka, and Ohaeri, who all got new rankings in the world.
Speaking at a ceremony held at the Umuahia Township Stadium, Gov. Otti commended the team for breaking a continental jinx at the tournament.
Otti who spoke through the Commissioner for Sports and Youth development, Nwaobilor Ananaba, restated the commitment of his administration to support talented Abians actualise their potentials.
He promised to sponsor the state Badminton team to Paris Para Olympic tournament, adding that the State government will provide every support needed for sports development.
In a remark, Director of Sports, Abia State, George Obioma, commended the team for winning laurels at the competition.
He thanked Gov. Otti for willingly sponsoring the team, a development, he noted, signaled brighter future for sports development in the state.
He explained that while the State Government provided the sponsorship, the Federal Ministry of Sports, complemented the efforts to make the documentation of their participation, possible.
The Director of Sports noted that the Badminton team had before the Thailand outing, participated in four other international competitions where they broke records to earn Nigeria new positions in World Badminton rankings.
Speaking also, the President of Abia State Badminton Association, Samuel Ekeoma, recommended national honours for the players for making Nigeria proud at the tournament.
He equally commended the Otti-led administration for providing the needed funds which, he added, helped tremendously to boost the team’s morale.
Later in an interview, the first African player to reach Quarter Finals in Para Badminton, Jeremiah, thanked the State for the honour, and support given to the team.
He said he had been spurred to perform better in future engagements.
Sports Radio presenter, TC Barah, also commended the team for the impressive outing, and urged the State Government to invest more in sports because of its great impacts on youths.
