Squash Is Advancing To Int’l Standards In Nigeria – Adekunle

By Kazeem Akande

Prince Shola Adekunle, the Chairman, Yellow Dots – organisers of the Lagos 2024 Squash Open – has assured that the game is growing to global standards in Nigeria.

He made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of the Squash Open at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

According to him, winners in the junior and senior categories went home with N3million and other sporting items at the end of the the tournament.

He also said he was pleased to organise the squash open on Saturday to further grow the sport in Nigeria.

”I can assure you that this is the highest paid Squash tournament in the country; the first senior category where male and female players will be going home with N800, 000 and additional grants.

”We are working on meeting up with international standard. That’s why we are working tirelessly to sponsor this programme so as to prepare them for international competitions,” he said.

He also appealed to the private sector and government at all levels to sponsor the game so as to give the players an upper hand to advance in international competitions.

Adekunle said that the junior players were also included in the tournament to develop them and at the same time allow them to showcase their interest and skills in the game.

According to him, the organisers of 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will include squash as a competitive sport in the games.

”That’s why we are preparing tirelessly to ensure our country is ably represented at that point in time,” he said.

Also, Gabriel Olufunmilayo, the winner of the 2024 Yellow Dots Squash Open told NAN that it was a tough task for him to defeat his contemporary, Kehinde Samuel.

”The game against Samuel was a tough one, though we are in the same category; but winning the game required more focus and determination.

”I tried to give my best. It wasn’t an easy game for me at all because Samuel is a strong player.

”I had to win this tournament because that will boost my world ranking so I decided to train hard and focus on my chances and it ended 3-1 (11/5,11/9,10/12,11/4 – 60mins),” Olufunmlayo said.

Similarly, Busayo Olatunji, the country’s top ranked female player, was thankful for her victory against second ranked Rofiat Abdulazeez.

She also told NAN that she lost concentration in the game at some point.

”I am very happy to have won the game 3-2 (11/8,12/14,7/11,11/8,11/4 – 1hr 15mins). It was a tough game, and at a time I felt relaxed and was leading, but it soon became a tie.

”So, I’m happy to have won at last and gained more Professional Squash Association (PSA) points in my world ranking.

”Very soon I will be going for an international tourney in Canada in which I know will get a positive result,” she said.