Anuoluwapo Opeyori, Nigeria’s sole entry at the All Africa Individual Badminton Championships in Kampala, won unexpected gold on Sunday without a coach or any accompanying official.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria announced this in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.
It was Opeyori’s second gold medal at the event, having won the title in 2019 after defeating his compatriot, Godwin Olofua, in the final.
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Opeyori advanced to the final by defeating 2017 champion Adel Hamek of Algeria in a 21-18, 21-18 semi-final victory.
On his way to the semi-finals, he defeated Ugandan Israel Wanagalya 18-21, 21-10, and 21-11 to earn a 2-1 victory.
Sunday’s victory was a calculated risk that paid off.
Opeyori avenged his loss in the 2020 final with a thrilling 21-14, 23-21 victory over Uganda’s Brian Kasirye.
According to the Badminton Federation, it was also Nigeria’s first major victory since the badminton administration crisis last year.
Opeyori triumphed for Nigeria despite daunting obstacles, as he was the country’s sole entry at the championship due to a lack of funds.
Godwin Olofua, his doubles partner, did not show up due to an unexpected trip to Qatar.
Nigeria was to field the same three-man team that competed in the last Olympics, with Opeyori and Godwin Olofua competing in both the singles and doubles men’s events.
Dorcas Adesokan, another member of the Olympic squad triumvirate, had to be excused due to wedding preparations.
That left only Opeyori as the sole competitor, and he was on the verge of canceling due to funding issues.
There is currently no executive board of the Badminton Federation in the country.
Opeyori’s flight to Uganda for the championship had to be purchased by the leadership of a caretaker committee.
Non-participation in competitions had already had an impact on Nigerian players’ rankings.
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