ABUJA – Nigeria’s Bulus Jinkam on Saturday in Abuja crashed out in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles event at the third Nigeria International Badminton Championships, losing 1-3 to Uganda’s Edwin Ekiring.
The championships is being organised by the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) in collaboration with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Ekiring, who is currently ranked 22nd in Africa, raced to an early lead in the match played at the Gymnasium Hall of the Abuja National Stadium Complex.
He took the first two sets 11-10, 11-10 before Jinkam, a former Africa number one, fought back strongly to win the third set 8-11.
Jinkam who is Africa’s current number three player, took an early 7-1 lead in the fourth set as he looked set to complete a comeback.
He was however unable to sustain the momentum as Ekiring shocked spectators as he saw off the game 11-7 to book a semi-final berth against Milan Ludik of Czech Republic.
NAN recalls that Czech’s Ludik had earlier in the day also seen off Nigeria’s Clement Krobakpo 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
In other quarter-final matches of the men’s singles event, Abdelrahman Kashkal of Egypt beat Nigeria’s Enejoh Abah 2-0, while Arnaud Genin of France also defeated Nigeria’s Gideon Babalola 2-0.
In the women’s singles event, it was another ding-dong affair as Nigeria’s Fatima Azeez edged out Egypt’s Hadia Hosny 3-2 to advance to the semi-finals.
The Egyptian had taken the first set 11-9 but was pegged back by Azeez by the same scoreline also.
Azeez won the third set winning 11-5, while Hosny fought back to take the fourth set 11-10 to set up a nervy fifth and final set which Azeez eventually won 11-7.
In other quarter-final games in the women’s singles category, Grace Gabriel beat Ketu Ilofuan 2-0, while Nigeria’s Dorcas Adesokan lost 0-2 to Shamim Bangi of Uganda.
Also, Nicole Schaller of Switzerland beat Nigeria’s Felicia Omotola 2-0 to advance to the semi-finals.
Nigeria’s Gabriel will now meet her compatriot Azeez, while Bangi will face Switzerland’s Schaller in the semi-finals on Sunday.
In the men’s doubles quarter-finals, it was an all-Nigerian affair as the pair of Jinkam and Ola Fagbemi defeated Adolphus Azuine and Abraham Otagada 3-0.
Chukwuemeka Alaezi and Peter Kekeke also lost 0-3 to Ibrahim Adamu and Olorunfemi Elewa.
Also, Godwin Olofua and Anuoluwapo Opeyori beat Usman Isiaq and Mustapha Muhammed 3-2, while the pair of Abah and Victor Makanju saw off Kekeke and Micheal Onwe in three straight sets.
Jinkam and Fagbemi will now face Adamu and Olorunfemi, while Olofua and Opeyori will meet Abah and Makanju in the semi-finals.
In the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles, it was also an all-Nigerian affair as the pair of Tosin Atolagbe and Azeez displayed good combination to beat Adesokan and Gabriel 3-0.
Also, Susan Ideh and Peace Orji beat Seriman Bajo and Zainab Momoh 3-0, while Grace Daniel and Braimoh Maria beat the pair of Ebhomien Sunday and Uchechukwu Ukeh 3-1.
The last quarter-final match in the category saw the pair of Uganda’s Bangi and Egypt’s Hosny showing class as they saw off Nigeria’s Ngukuran Agir and Patricia Akpusugh 3-0.
The mixed doubles category saw Abah and Atolagbe lose 0-3 to Makanju and Sunday.
Paul Fagbemi and Ilofuan also lost 1-3 to Olorunfemi Elewa and Brimoh Maria, while Habeeb Bello and Ruth lost 0-3 to Ola Fagbemi and Adesokan.
Also, the combination of Nigeria’s Jinkam and Ideh was too strong for the Egyptian’s pair of Abdelrahman Kashkal and Hosny as they lost 0-3 in the last quarter-final game.
The pair of Makanju and Sunday will face Jinkam and Ideh, while Elewa and Maria will play Fagbemi and Adesokan in the semi-finals on Sunday.
The championships which served off on Oct. 20 is expected to end on Sunday.(NAN)
