Lagos Int’l Badminton Classics Return In 2017 – Ogunsanya

TAIWO ADELU 

The Lagos State International Badminton Classics will stage a comeback in the New Year.
This assurance was given by the Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya, who said that it was the desire of the sports loving governor of the State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to see that the Badminton Classics, a championship that attracted players from different countries of the world, come up again in 2017 after it failed to hold in 2016 due to circumstances beyond the control of the organisers. The first two editions of the classics were held in 2014 and 2015.
Ogunsanya said the competition will return next year with more vigour to attract more country’s participations and added values to the sport at the local scene. “The governor has given his approval for Badminton classics to return next year because he has the desire to make Lagos the hub of sports in Africa.,”  said the Director General during the final ceremony of the 1st Governor’s South West Badminton Championship held at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba last weekend.
The Director General remarked that Badminton in Lagos has developed drastically and with the return next year of the annual International Classics, the game will bounce back, adding that effort is being geared towards producing young players who will take over from the ageing ones.
“There will be many tournaments coming up to fish out budding players. We discovered many younger players, put them in sustainable development Program to bring the best out of them, ” Ogunsanya said.
Chairman of Lagos State Badminton Association, who also head the association in the southwest, Mr. Francis Oribih commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for giving approval for the return of the Classics, adding that the championship has been one of the tournaments in the calendar of the world Badminton, which players around always looked forward to attending.
He said the South West Championship featured more than 120 players across the region and some national players who were in invited for the three days tournament. According to him, the standard of the tournament is very high, while there were revelations noticed in the competition. These, he said the association will build on.
Meanwhile, Lagos male player took the glory of men’s singles category of the competition.
Olofua Godwin ensured that he didn’t disappoint top officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission who included the SA on Sports to the Governor, Mr Deji Tinubu and the Director General of the Commission, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya that graced the final ceremony as he ran over his tough opponent from Oyo State, Habeeb Bello 2-1 21-18, 11-21, 21-16 in the gruelling final of the tournament that featured all the states in the western region of Nigeria.
The women’s singles was won by Team Oyo’s Zainab Momoh who beat her Team Ogun opponent, in 2-1 game (21-18, 17-21, 21-17). Both the Special Adviser on Sports, Mr. Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Sports Commission and the Director General, Mr Ogunsanya applauded the standard of the competition and the high level of competition among the players.
“This is a developmental competition designed to know how our players are progressing.. With what I saw here in the finals, I believe we are on the right tracks as we take the game to the next level, “Tinubu said.
In the U-15 results, Roland Okunola from Ekiti won gold in the boys singles, while Alade Omolade from Ogun state won gold in the girls category.