The ongoing 7th National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba has served as a platform to discover and recognize exceptional young talents in various sports disciplines.
Two promising badminton athletes from Katsina State, Muhammad Aliyu and Abubakar Abdullahi, have been invited to the National camp by the Nigeria Badminton Federation.
Their impressive performances at the NYG earned them spots in the upcoming West Africa Badminton competition U15 championships, set to take place in Senegal next year.
Katsina State has now contributed three athletes who have received invitations to national championships.
In another remarkable story, the exceptional skills of 5-year-old Naomi Ehi Onoja have captured the attention of the Nigeria Chess Federation.
Onoja’s incredible performance at the Asaba 2023 National Youth Games has earmarked her as one of the young talents to be nurtured as a future national athlete for chess competitions.
In the realm of squash, an exciting sibling rivalry unfolded during the Games as two members of the same family from Kwara State competed in the final of the Squash singles event.
AbdulRaheem Khadijat and AbdulRahim Aishat battled for supremacy.
Khadijat, an SS3 student of Baptist Government Day Secondary School Ilorin, clinched the gold medal, while Aishat settled for the silver. Despite their fierce competition, both sisters expressed pride that their family secured both the gold and silver medals in the event.
The 7th National Youth Games continues to be a platform for discovering and nurturing young talents in Nigeria, showcasing the nation’s potential for excellence in various sports disciplines.
These talented athletes serve as a testament to the future of Nigerian sports, and their achievements inspire hope and excitement within the sporting community.
