Femi Atolagbe

After a scintillating performance at the just concluded National Youth Games held in Ilorin, Kwara State, Ondo State Badminton team will join other states to compete in the ” 5th Mama Tunde Alaso” 2021 Racket Festival.
According to a statement made available to newsmen by the organisers of the festival, Adekunle Adeniyi Sports Foundation , Tennis and Badminton is closed to the South West players only, while Squash is a national tournament open to all the states in Nigeria including Federal capital Territory FCT.
The festival will dunk off on 10th to 13th this month in Abeokuta,Ogun State and will be competed at under 16 and 19 categories.
In a chat with Sporting Hope, the Ondo State Badminton coach, Tunmise Olalehin revealed that his team are going to the competition with the superb form they brought from the National Youth Games.
He said, “while we won’t underrate any state at the competition but we are very sure of good outing having rule the country at the same level, South West shouldn’t be a hard knot for us.
“We know all these states very well, we know their capability, so we won’t have much problem to defend the tittle.
“We started training immediately we came back from the Youth Games, knowingfully well that we have another competition ahead of us, because we don’t want to give chances to other state to dislodge us as number one team.
“I have charged my players to double their efforts to show class during the competition, we won’t be complacent. Our success won’t enter into our head to play other state down, we are aware that other states are working hard to catch up with us and we won’t wait for them to catch us,” he said.
He commended the state government and the Chairman of the Badminton Association in the state , Mr Olu Adekunle Ajanaku for their efforts in ensuring the state’s team is not wanting at any local and national competitions.