Over 150 Athletes from 13 Countries to Compete in 1st Abia Para Badminton International Championships

More than 150 para-athletes from 13 countries are set to participate in the maiden edition of the Abia Para Badminton International Championships and the All-African Para Badminton Championships, scheduled to take place in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Nwaobilor Ananaba, disclosed this during a press briefing on Sunday. Represented by Mr Raymond Ukwa, Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Ananaba confirmed that the state is fully prepared to host the two landmark events simultaneously at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

According to him, the first championship, the 1st Abia Para Badminton International will run from September 30 to October 5, while the All-African Para Badminton Championships will follow from October 6 to 12.

Highlighting the state’s preparations, Ananaba noted that Abia now boasts the best wheelchair playing mats in West Africa. “When you go around, you’ll see the hall and the efforts made to provide a world-class, equitable playing field,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abia State recently hosted the 5th National Para Badminton Championship from July 14 to 17 at the same venue.

Speaking at the briefing, Mr Samuel Ekeoma, a member of the Local Organising Committee and National Coordinator of the Para Badminton Association of Nigeria, said athletes will compete in six male and female categories. He listed countries including Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Tunisia, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe among the participating nations.

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, praised Governor Alex Otti for his administration’s commitment and substantial investment in making the event a reality. Orbih also announced a Para Badminton workshop for African coaches and players taking place alongside the championships, with certification for those who pass the assessment.

CEO of the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA), Mr Jeff Shigoli, commended the level of preparation and noted that Nigeria is now the third African country, after Uganda and Egypt, to host a major para badminton event.

He thanked the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for its support and confirmed that an international classification team is present to ensure fair competition.

BWF Classifier Dr Ahmed Reda added that over 40 Nigerian players have been successfully classified, making them eligible to compete in international tournaments worldwide.