The second edition of the Eko Club National Under-15 and Under-19 Squash Tournament ended on Saturday in Lagos with impressive displays by young players, as organisers commended the rising standard of junior squash in Nigeria.
Chairman of the Squash Section of Eko Club, Gbenga Feyisetan, said the tournament, organised in memory of the late Adejuwon Adenuga, had continued to fulfil its objective of grooming young talents and preparing them for international competitions.
Feyisetan said that the three-day championship attracted players from 10 states and five clubs across the country.
He said Eko Club provided accommodation and feeding for the athletes, alongside their coaches, parents and guardians, throughout the competition.
According to him, the tournament has become an important platform for discovering and nurturing future national stars.
“The maiden edition was highly successful and some of the players who featured last year are currently in camp in Abeokuta preparing to represent Nigeria at the World Junior Squash Championships in Ontario, Canada, later this month.
“Our objective is to ensure these young players learn the fundamentals of the game from an early stage because proper grooming is essential to achieving excellence in squash.
“The quality of play has improved tremendously compared to last year. More competitions like this will keep the players active throughout the year and help them develop both technically and mentally,” he said.
Feyisetan also praised the performances of the female players, describing the standard of the girls’ finals as exceptional.
“You could see the quality of their strokes and technical ability. That level of improvement comes from regular competitions and better coaching.
“We are working with the Nigeria Squash Federation to improve coaches’ training because better coaches will produce better players with the right skills and attitude,” he added.
In the girls’ Under-15 final, Grace Gana of Kwara defeated Elizabeth Adebayo of Ogun 3-1 with scores of 13-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9.
Ayomide Omotayo of Ogun won the boys’ Under-15 title after overcoming Lanre Yusuf of Lagos 3-1 with scores of 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8.
Loveth Balogun of Kwara dominated the girls’ Under-19 final, defeating Eseoghene Otuyo of Edo 3-0 with identical scores of 11-5, 11-5, 11-5.
In the boys’ Under-19 final, Elisha Daniel of Lagos claimed the title after defeating Usman Abdulsalam of Kwara 3-0 with scores of 11-4, 11-8, 11-4.
Speaking after her victory, Grace Gana said she was delighted to emerge champion, adding that the tournament had boosted her confidence.
“I am very happy to win. The competition was tough, but I remained focused throughout the match. I thank my coaches, my parents and the organisers for giving us this opportunity to compete,” she said.
The Tournament DirectorYusuf Durosinlorun, while assessing the championship, described the competition as successful, noting that the players displayed discipline, sportsmanship and remarkable improvement throughout the tournament.
He said the standard of officiating and the quality of matches reflected the steady growth of junior squash in Nigeria and expressed optimism that more players from the competition would represent the country internationally.
