Sports
OFFICIALS at the ongoing Lagos State Prime Atlantic Squash 2024 Open have called for more training facilities for players advancement in the yearly tournaments.
The tournament’s Referee, Philip Peter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
Peter said that more facilities were needed across the country to encourage more upcoming and advancement of the players who are doing well in the sport.
”There’s a tremendous improvement in the squash game nationally as eight states are being represented but we need more training facilities across the country. Some of the facilities are not enough for the players.
”We have only one functioning facility in Lagos state at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere here ; some states have none except Kwara and Ogun.
”These facilities are not enough for the sport’s development in the country. We urge the state government to help to look into it.
”As you can see, the officiating and standard rules are advancing compared with previous years.
”We appeal to the state governors to help to build squash facilities to encourage more upcoming athletes to participate in the game,” he said.
The tournament referee also said that both coaches and the players needed more encouragement packages to fast track the sport development.
According to him, though the players are being encouraged at the various tournament, they also need rewards in cash and grants.
‘He said, ”In this tournament, winners in all categories will be rewarded N350,000 each with more prizes for others as the case may be.
”The players are performing well, the officiating personnel are up to the standard and the squash game is advancing.”
Similarly, Tinuola Adebayo, a Squash Coach in Lagos State, said in her remarks that the level of improvement of the game could not be over emphasised.
According to her, more facilities have to be put in place to accommodate the upcoming talents in the squash game.
Adebayo said that there were more improvement in both the rules and levels of the players performances.
“In this tournament, we have an outstanding players like Abidemi Olatunji and Zainab Ishola both in Women category who are performing very well.
”At the same time, we have Farouk Suliaman, Ayomide Oladipupo and the top ranked players like Gabriel Olufunmilayo, Kehinde Samuel and Abel Shedrak,” she said.
Nigeria’s number one female Squash player, Busayo Olatunji, in her remarks, said she was in the contest to defend and maintain her current status.
Olatunji said she hasd put everything in place to maintain her number one ranking in the country.
”I am fully prepared for this tournament and am not going to give any chance to my opponents to defeat me, I am well prepared for the Wednesday game,” she said.
Udeme James, another top ranked female Squash player, told NAN that her target was to win the tournament.
James said that she made efforts to perform excellently and win the Lagos Prime Atlantic Open 2024.
”I have decided to win this tournament, by putting myself in rigorous training and had been participating more in other competitions across the the country.
”I am representing Akwa Ibom State and I am optimistic that I will be crowned the winner at the end of the tournament, in the women category,” she said.
NAN reports that 15-year old Benjamin Monday, of Headwaters Squash Academy, defeated a senior player, Moses Elekanachi of Edo State 3-0, to progress to the second round of the tournament.
In the Women’s category, Titilayo Akinloye defeated Okikiola Dunni 3-1, Kadijah Abdulraheem also beat Bassey Uduakobong 3-0 while Victory Tonloye defeated Ajani Ibukunoluwa 3-0.
James Udeme, defeated Yemisi Taiwo 3-0, Rebecca Auta also beat Emmanuella Fashola 3-0 while Awawu Balogun defeated Odunade Adeyi 3-0 in their category. (NAN)(
A.I
June 16, 2024 @ 16:53 GMT|
Tags: Busayo Olatunji Philip Peter Prime Atlantic Squash 2024
