Young athletes impress at Adebiyi racket festival in Ibadan
The sixth Mama Tunde Alaso Racket Festival wrapped up at the Ibadan Recreation Club, showcasing emerging talents in badminton, squash, and tennis. Organised by former squash player Adekunle Adebiyi, the event featured young and established players from across Nigeria. Champions in various categories received rackets, bags, and awards, while a raffle draw added excitement to the closing ceremony. The festival drew praise from dignitaries for its role in promoting grassroots racket sports.
Match highlights
- In badminton, Adenekan Samuel won the men’s final against Abayomi Samuel, while Odunayo Omotayo claimed the women’s title.
- Squash saw Esther Bob and Miracle Ekpo triumph in the Under-15 girls’ and boys’ finals, with Zainab Ishola and Elisha Daniel winning in the Under-19 categories.
- Winners in squash shared ₦100,000 and received new rackets and bags; badminton and tennis winners also got rackets, bags, and awards.
- A raffle draw awarded a laptop to U-15 player Thomas Emmanuel, with other prizes including AirPods, power banks, handbags, and cash.
- The event was attended by Taylor Afolayan, President of the Nigeria Squash Federation, and other dignitaries, who called for more private sector support.
