LAGOS – Bayo Hasstrup, the organiser of the 2nd Omolara Babalola-Hasstrup Memorial U-18 Badminton Championships, on Thursday expressed the hope that the competition would encourage the sport’s development at the grassroots.
Haastrup told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, venue of the competition, that it was targeted at talent discovery .
The competition served off on Aug. 19 and ended on Aug. 21.
“Learning sports begins at a tender age by participating in competitions at the grassroots level.
“It is at the grassroots that athletes can be discovered and nurtured to the national level through more exposure and competitions,” he said.
Haastrup said that the maiden edition of the competition was held in 2013 for U-15, noting that it was upgraded to enable more players to participate. [eap_ad_1] “I want to see younger players take on older ones. I want to see them aspire to beat older players. I want to see the young ones fight it out with their seniors,” he told NAN.
He said that the willingness and the zeal exhibited by young players in the first edition informed his decision to upgrade the tournament.
“In badminton, winning a match has nothing to do with age, but skills and the zeal to win.
“I want young players to believe in themselves that competing against senior players will help them to face tougher opposition later,” he said.
He, however, said that there would be no prize money attached to the competition.
“Considering the ages of the players, no prize money will be attached to the competition, but each participant will have something to take home.
“We do not want them to believe at this age, that going into sport is about money.
“Money will come when they have established themselves in the sport,” Haastrup said.
He said that the championships were in honour of his late wife and promised that it would will be held annually. (NAN)
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