Over 100 players jostle for medals at Badminton classics

Badminton

A total of 108 foreign players from over 35 countries and 43 Nigerian players are expected to compete for honours at the sixth Lagos International Badminton Classics holding at the Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from August 30 September 2, 2023.

According to the organisers, so far, 37 countries have confirmed participation in the tournament. The countries include Algeria, Azerbaijan, Australia, Austria, Benin Republic, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, and Czech Rep.

Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, named other countries in the competition as England, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Mauritius, and Norway. Completing the train are Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka, Spain, South Africa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Togo, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, U.S. and Zambia.

Ambassadors of different countries, whose players will participate in the event, are expected to be in attendance together with the badminton loving governors of Kebbi, Ekiti and Ebonyi states.   The Lagos Classics has been variously described as the highest category of Badminton World Federation-sanctioned championship to be hosted by any African Country.

The rating of the classics also affords the participants, including Nigerian players, opportunity to garner points towards qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics, as well as improve their BWF World ranking.

Orbih expressed happiness that the competition is staging a big comeback after being off the calendar for three years due to COVID-19 pandemic and its aftereffects.

“We are glad the biggest and flagship event in the African Badminton circuit is back,”