Final Action at Niger Under-18 Mini Tournament Displaces No. 1 Player
By Yahaya Zakka Minna
The Niger State Under-18 Badminton Mini Tournament finals in Minna over the weekend featured exciting matches from players representing three local governments of the state, creating a competitive atmosphere that thrilled fans and kept them on the edge of their seats.
A detailed review of the key matches and moments from the two-day event showed the resilience of the young competitors, who gave their best and smashed badminton rackets to strike shuttlecocks with the energy and skill of champions.
It was also learned that the finals brought shocks and surprises when spectators witnessed the defeat of the reigning top player and No. 1-ranked junior in Niger state, Usman Ahmed, who is now ranked second.
Ahmed was dethroned by Miracle Godwin, who, until now, was the second-best player in the state’s junior badminton scene and is now the winner of both the best player and No. 1 player titles in the state.
In a remark, the Chairman of the Niger State Badminton Association, Alhaji Mohammed Nma Kolo, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the junior players during the mini-tournament, adding that they deserve support through training opportunities and encouragement to become professionals.
According to him, “this mini tournament is aimed at catching them young in rural communities and helping them build capacity toward becoming future national and international champions. For this tournament, three local governments participated; however, I want to assure you that all 25 local governments in the state will join the competition in the next edition.”
Speaking in an interview with journalists, the Niger State Badminton Association Head Coach, Ismail Mohammed, described the tournament as a grassroots development program designed for underage players, starting from the Under-15 boys and girls categories from Bida, Kontagora, and Minna.
He said, “Honestly, as a coach, I thought it was going to be an easy tournament for them, but the players came out and gave a good fight. I think it was a shock for me to see that the number one was the one who lost the finals, and our number two was the one who won the mini tournament.”
Coach Ismail Mohammed also appreciated the support from the State Chairman of the Niger State Badminton Association, Alhaji Mohammed Nma Kolo, for their continued cooperation in developing sports in general and badminton specifically in the state.
“I’m very sure that Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Nma Kolo has really been supporting the young players. That is why you saw the way they played today, and that is the way they have been playing, thanks to the support of stakeholders and even association members, including the chairman. He buys them a racket, buys them a shuttlecock, sometimes pays their school fees, and provides transportation,” he added.
