Nigeria: Africa Para Games Wheelchair Tennis - Team Nigeria Wins Bronze in Ghana

11 September 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Gbemidepo Popoola

The duo of Foluke Shittu and Kafayat Omisore defeated Tanzania's Lucy Shirima and Rehema Selemani 2-0 (7-5, 6-4) in the third-place match

Team Nigeria at the weekend won the bronze medal in the women's doubles event in wheelchair tennis at the ongoing 2023 Africa Para Games in Accra, Ghana.

The duo of Foluke Shittu and Kafayat Omisore defeated Tanzania's Lucy Shirima and Rehema Selemani 2-0 (7-5, 6-4) in the third-place match.

Nigeria had lost to African number one doubles Champions, Najwa Awane and Samira Benichi of Morocco 0-2 (2-6, 6-7) in the semifinal match on Friday.

Kafayat Omisore in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, said she feels fulfilled attending the Africa Para Games and winning a bronze medal for Nigeria at the maiden edition.

Omisore revealed that she sacrificed her investments and time in training hard for the Games and it would have been disastrous not making an appearance at the Games.

She said, "I am happy that wheelchair basketball won Nigeria's first medal at the Africa Para Games in Ghana. We intended to win a gold medal for the country in the women's double but we were stopped again by the Moroccans.

"It would have been disastrous if Nigeria failed to attend the Games because I have invested my time and resources in training. I believe if the para-athletes are given equal opportunity with the able sports, we will continue to make the country proud".

Secretary of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN), Suleiman Isah, commended the Sports Minister, John Enoh, for his last-minute intervention in ensuring the wheelchair tennis players attended the maiden edition of the Africa Para Games in Ghana.

He said, "The players did make the country proud by picking a bronze medal in the women's double event. Either Foluke Shittu or Kafayat Omisore would pick a bronze medal on Saturday as the match is all Nigeria affairs involving the two players from the country

"We believe that the exposure gotten from the tournament would sharpen the athletes for more competitive games as we continue the pathway to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games", he concluded.

Read the original article on Premium Times.

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