Nigeria’s highest ranked Badminton player Clement Krobapor led the way of star players who qualified for the round of 16 at the ongoing 1st Katsina Golden star National Badminton Championship.
Krobapor 237th ranked player, beat Adebayo Taiwo 21-12, 17-21,21-6 on Thursday.
In other results, 461st ranked Eneojo Abah, sailed into the round of 16 with a 21-12, 21-12 victory over Musa Waleed. Kingsley Nelson of FCT beat Adolphus Azuine of Delta state 21-9, 16-21, 21-19 , while Simeon Akinsola of Ogun state in a very tough battle edged past Kayode Oyeniran of the Nigerian Army 22-20 , 21 -18. Godwin Olufa and Sola Abiodun also made it to the round of 16.
In the women’s category which started on Thursday, Ruth Ebere of Golden star beat Udoh Imelda in a keenly contested encounter 22-20 21-15. Zainab Alabi of Kwara state thrilled fans with a 22-20 , 21-15 win against Asaba Bukola from FCT while lois Makidh was dominant against Hope Adukwu to qualify for the round of 16.
Three Nigerian Players, Krobapor Clement, Habeeb Temitope and Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori made the list of top 10 players in Africa in the latest World ranking published on Thursday.
According to the official website of the World Badminton Federation, no African made the top 100, but three Nigerian Badminton players are in the top 283. With the ranking of players a function of International Competitions attended and points gathered from such competitions. Krobakpo who just returned from Egypt before joining other Badminton players at the ongoing 1st Katsina Golden star National Badminton Championship, is second behind Egypt’s Adham Hatem Elgamal who is ranked 175th in the world.
Third in Africa is Habeeb Temitope who is 260th in the world and second Nigerian. Ghanian Emmanuel Yaw Donkor is 4th in Africa and 266th in the World. Second ranked Egyptian, Mohammed Mustafa Kamel is 5th in Africa and 281st in the World while Anuoluwapo Opeyori of Nigeria who beat Godswill Ifejirika to qualify for the round f 16 of the ongoing 1st Katsina Golden star Badminton Championship on Thursday is 6th in Africa and 283rd in the World ,he is closely followed by Zambia’s Kalombo Mulenga who is ranked 286th in the world and seventh in Africa.
Danish player Vicktor Axelen retains his number one spot in the World followed by India’s Srikanth Kidambi, Son wah ho of Korea holds the third spot, while the duo of Lin Dan and Cheng long of China complete the top five Badminton Players in the World.
