Nigerian Tennis Live routine checks have revealed that some foreign-based junior stars will lead Nigeria’s quest for glory at the forthcoming African Youth Games holding in Algiers, Algeria.
Our correspondent had asked Ubale Mohammed, the national junior coach, for updates about the players expected to prosecute the quadrennial tournament, and the names on his list happened to be some of the very best; a few of whom are presently not in the country.
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| Adebola Obasoto and Chris Bulus are expected to make Nigeria proud at the African Youth Games in Algeria. |
Dark-skinned Christopher Bulus who has been outstanding since he landed at the New Mexico Military Institute in the United States, is top on the list of players Nigerians will be expecting to make the country proud at the event, and is closely followed by Ireland-based top junior tennis star, Adebola Obasoto, who was recently in Nigeria to play ITF Futures for three weeks.
The pair is expected to give Nigerians something to cheer about when hostilities commence at the championship in July.
Alongside the duo, South Africa-based Adetayo Adetunji and top junior superstar, Oyinlomo Quadri, as well as other top juniors presently in the country, are also believed to stand a chance against other Africans who will be participating in the tournament.
In a chat with Nigerian Tennis Live, Coach Ubale noted that only the foreign-based players were yet to hit their Ikeja Country Club camp ahead of the tournament, but assured that other players expected to prosecute the tournament had arrived already.
“Phillips Abayomi, Michael Osewa, Chris Itodo, Oyinlomo Quadri, Toyin Asogba, Omolayo Bamidele and Omolade Aderemi are already in camp at this moment. The others are likely to team up with us in Algeria,” the respected junior coach explained.
Asked to know how far he thinks the team can go at the tournament for young athletes on the continent, the vastly-traveled coach said: “The farthest we got to at the African Youth Games in Botswana four years ago was the semis with the boys.
“Sylvester Emmanuel made it to the semis and won bronze while Elizabeth Pam represented Nigeria and lost in the quarter finals.
“I believe with our crop of players this year, we should be able to beat that record because we have been putting in a lot in our training sessions alongside other preparations before now. We shall be ready for the task ahead.”
Nigerian tennis players will be representing Nigeria’s push for medals at the games where 23 sports will be contested by Nigerian athletes .
Nigerian Tennis Live will be on ground to monitor the activities of the junior tennis superstars from 18 July – 28 July, 2018 when the tournament will take place.