By Leonard Okachie
At least 120 para-athletes, including the bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, Eniola Bolaji, have converged on Umuahia for the Fifth Abia National Para Badminton Championship.
Bolaji made history by becoming the first African to win a medal in para-badminton at the Paralympics.
The Abia Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Nwaobilor Ananaba, said at a news briefing in Umuahia, on Sunday, that the state had put everything in place to ensure a successful competition.
Ananaba said that the state -of-art facilities had been provided at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, venue of the event scheduled to take place between July 12 and July 18.
He said that the competition would be used to test-run the Abia Para-Badminton International Championship (from Sept. 30 to Oct.5) and the All Africa Para-Badminton Championships (Oct. 7 to Oct.12).
He expressed gratitude to the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) for giving Abia the hosting right and Gov. Alex Otti for his support for sports development in the state as he promised in his manifesto.
In a remark, the Event Director, BCA, Mr Faadil Sayed, who was around to assess the level of preparedness for the competition, lauded the state for its commitment towards ensuring a successful event.
Sayed said: “The tournaments coming up are not just events – they are statements.
“They say Nigeria is ready. West Africa is ready. And Para Badminton is here to stay.
“We are not just preparing for a championship – we are preparing a platform for talents’ visibility and lasting impact.
“Let’s support it, celebrate it, and ensure that this legacy continues well beyond 2025.”
The National Coordinator, Para Badminton Association of Nigeria, Samuel Ekeoma, said that para-athletes, drawn from 16 states of the federation, would be contesting in six categories.
Ekeoma, a member of the Local Organising Committee, commended the governor for sustaining the tempo of promoting para-badminton not just in Nigeria but also in Africa.
“It is only Abia that has been hosting para-badminton championship in Nigeria, since the inception of this competition,” he said.
The arrival and accreditation of athletes took place on July 12 and July 13, while the competition begins on Monday, July 14.
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