Oyedepo Oluwadamiola, a first year student of Adekunle Ajasin University from the department of Human Kinetics has won two medals for Ondo state at the first Inspector General of Police National Badminton Championship which took place between November 23rd,2021 and November 27th,2021 at the Police College, Ikeja Lagos organized by The Nigeria Police Badminton Association.
The previous edition of the tournament had exclusively been limited to athletes serving in the various armed forces branch in Nigeria.
However, the rule was altered this year to allow athletes from outside the forces to compete in this year’s edition of the tournament. some states from the federation were invited to compete in the tournament in which Ondo state was privileged to be one of them.
The athletes that participated in the 2021 edition tournament were grouped into two categories, one for the forces athletes exclusively and the other category which is termed the open category meant for athletes from invited states.
Oluwadamilola represented Ondo state in the women’s open single category defeated her opponent from Lagos in the quarter final by 2-0, won against her challenger from Lagos also by the same margin in the semifinal and proceeded to win gold medal at the event after defeating her opponent from Jos by 2-0 in the final.
Subsequently, she won her second medal of the tournament after her combination with fellow teammate Afolabi Phillip a student of Federal Polytechnic, Ado won silver medal for Ondo state after they were defeated in the mixed doubles final by their opponents from the force.
Speaking to our correspondent on her excellent outing at the event, Oluwadamilola thanked God for her success, the organizers of the tournament for giving her a platform to showcase her talent and she also appreciated her coaches for their mentorship.
‘’I thank God for the success in the competition, and a big thank you to the organizers, my parents, friends, family and well-wishers for their supports; I also want to appreciate my coaches for believing in me and I also thank the school authorities as well.
As part of her career record, Oluwadamilola won gold medal in the women’s singles open event and bronze medal in the doubles event at junior category of National Youth Games held at UNILORIN in 2019, she also two won gold medals in the women’s singles open and in the doubles event respectively competing as a senior athlete for the first time in her career at the 2021 edition of the same tournament held at UNILORIN.
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