Abuja City Bandminton Tourney Records High Participants

Twenty-two states and four clubs are taking part in the second edition of Abuja City Open Championship at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Abuja, an official has disclosed.

Ameachi Akawo, Secretary-General of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), said in Abuja that participation in the 2011 edition was more than it was in the first edition in 2009.

“We have about 22 states and four clubs taking part in this edition of the championship with a total number of 180 players, comprising 130 men and 50 women.

“This is a record entry for us at the Federation,” he said.

The FCT, Kwara, Plateau, Edo, Yobe, Kogi, Oyo, Niger, Kebbi, Delta, Taraba and Ondo states are taking part in the 2011 championship.

Other states are Rivers, Sokoto, Gombe, Lagos, Ogun, Cross River, Kaduna, Benue, Bauchi and Bayelsa.

Clubs participating in the event are Healthyme Fitness Club, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The BFN Secretary-General said that the championship would be used to assess players for the 10th All Africa Games competition coming up in Mozambique in September as well as the 2012 Olympics qualifier.

He said that the championship would also help in repositioning badminton in the country.