It was a golden Wednesday for Team Nigeria in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, as the squad claimed two gold medals in both the men’s and women’s doubles events at the 2025 ANOCA Zone III Games.
In the men’s doubles, the partnership of Joseph Abel and Shehu Aliyu showcased unparalleled dominance, winning every match without dropping a single game from the Round of 16 to the final. They began with a convincing 2-0 victory in the Round of 16, followed by a similar 2-0 triumph in the quarter-finals against Benin Republic. They continued their impressive run by defeating the host nation, Burkina Faso, by the same scoreline in the semi-finals, ultimately securing the gold medal with another 2-0 victory over Togo in the final.
The women’s doubles saw a parallel story, with the duo of Dorcas Adesokan and Deborah Uchechukwu displaying remarkable skill and composure. They navigated through matches against Togo and Burkina Faso before reaching the final, where they exhibited overwhelming superiority against the Benin Republic, securing a 2-0 win.
Nigeria’s badminton coach, Ismaila Muhammed, stated that the tournament has provided the athletes with valuable competition experience, which will aid their preparation for larger international tournaments and qualifiers.
Anticipation is high for Team Nigeria as they aim to continue their gold medal success on Thursday, when the men’s singles, women’s singles, mixed doubles, men’s team, and women’s team events are set to take place.
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