FCT clinched Gold in the mixed doubles event at the National Youth Games in Ilorin, after Suleiman Ibrahim and Esther Azi combined impressively to cruise through the draw and into the final, where they made light work of Akwa Ibom’s David Ekpeyong and Mary Udoffa, 4-1, 4-1, to emerge victorious.
Ibrahim and Azi, the top seeds, began their mixed doubles campaign in the quarter-finals, having received a bye in the first round. The pair would go on to beat the Lagos State’s duo of Fortune Joseph and Destiny Okhinaye 4-1, 4-2 to ease into the semifinals.
In the semis, Ibrahim and Azi would prove too much for the Oyo State’s duo of Mubarak Ganiyu and Imole Afolabi, as they claimed a comprehensive 4-1, 4-1 victory to make the final.
The runners-up, Ekpeyong and Udoffa of Akwa Ibom also made an effective partnership, beating Adisa Olamide and Ronke Adeyemi of Ondo 5-4, 4-0 in the first round. The young duo had a walkover in the quarter-finals before going on to beat 2nd seeds, Daniel Adeleye and Esther Oni 4-0, 1-4, 4-1 and reach the final, where they lost to the FCT’s duo.
In the girls’ doubles event, Lagos State claimed Gold, with the pair of Destiny Okhinaye and Faith Ameh teaming up brilliantly to emerge winner. The girls received a bye in the first round and began their campaign in the quarter-finals, where they thrashed Oluwanifemi Lagundoye and Ronke Adeyemi of Ondo State 4-2, 4-1 to reach the semis.
Destiny Okhinaye (L) and Faith Ameh pose with their medals.
They would go on to make the final, following a comprehensive 4-1, 4-0 semifinal victory over Imole Afolabi and Bamidele Awe of Oyo State. Another brilliant showing in the final saw them claim a 4-1, 4-1 victory over Favour Ijaola and Niniola Ajulo of Ogun State and emerge victorious.
In the boys’ doubles category, Ekiti State clinched Gold, following superb displays from the pair of Daniel Adeleye and Seun Ogunshakin. The boys began in the first round with a very quick 4-0, 4-0 victory over Daniel Mecha and Tochukwu Okafor of Enugu State, before going on to beat the Imo State duo of Chijioke Uche and Uchenna Obisike 4-1, 4-1 and reach the semifinals. Both boys would produce a spirited performance to come from a set down and beat Oyo State’s Mubarak Ganiyu and Akinmusire Olayemi 2-4, 5-4(2), 10-2 to make the final.
A 4-2, 4-1 victory in the final over Akwa Ibom’s David Ekpeyong and Gabriel Inyang saw Adeleye and Ogunshakin end their campaign on a high.
Mixed Doubles’ Results
1st Round:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Esther Azi(FCT) – Bye
Fortune Joseph/Destiny Okhinaye(Lagos) bt. Samad Olubuade/Ramat Adeyemo(Kwara) 4-0, 4-0
Bello Yahuza/Emmanuella Kwange(Niger) bt. Joshua Sylvanus/Joyce Nanklin(Bauchi) 4-0, 4-1
Mubarak Ganiyu/Imole Afolabi(Oyo) bt. Paul Okonkwo/Olamide Aluko(Delta) 1-4, 4-0, 10-5
David Ekpeyong/Mary Udoffa(Akwa Ibom) bt. Adisa Olamide/Ronke Adeyemi(Ondo) 5-4, 4-0
Uchenna Obisike/Ruth Ikpekaogu(Imo) WO Joshua Maxwell/R. Maxwell(Rivers)
Tochukwu Okafor/Favour Abengowe(Enugu) bt. Sodiq Kushimo/Favour Ijaola(Ogun) 5-3, 4-1
Daniel Adeleye/Esther Oni(Ekiti) bt. Emmanuel Musa/Lorelax Holzendorf(Edo) 4-0, 4-0
Quarterfinal:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Esther Azi(FCT) bt. Fortune Joseph/Destiny Okhinaye(Lagos) 4-1, 4-2
Mubarak Ganiyu/Imole Afolabi(Oyo) bt. Bello Yahuza/Emmanuella Kwange(Niger) 4-1, 4-0
David Ekpeyong/Mary Udoffa(Akwa Ibom) WO Uchenna Obisike/Ruth Ikpekaogu(IMO)
Daniel Adeleye/Esther Oni(Ekiti) bt. Tochukwu Okafor/Favour Abengowe(Enugu) 4-1, 4-1
Semifinal:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Esther Azi(FCT) bt. Mubarak Ganiyu/Imole Afolabi(Oyo) 4-1, 4-1
David Ekpeyong/Mary Udoffa(Akwa Ibom) bt. Daniel Adeleye/Esther Oni(Ekiti) 4-0, 1-4, 4-1
Final:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Esther Azi(FCT) bt. David Ekpeyong/Mary Udoffa(Akwa Ibom) 4-1, 4-1
Doubles’ Results
Girls Doubles
1st Round:
Esther Oni/Faith Adeusi(Ekiti) – Bye
Favour Abengowe/Faith Onyia(Enugu) bt. Fatimat Wuruola/Ramat Adeyemo(Kwara) 2-4, 5-4(5), 4-0
Favour Ijaola/Niniola Ajulo(Ogun) WO Ruth Ikpekaogu/Melody Okwu(Imo)
Ekeledilichukwu Ibeh/Olamide Aluko(Delta) – Bye
Destiny Okhinaye/Faith Ameh(Lagos) – Bye
Oluwanifemi Lagundoye/Ronke Adeyemi(Ondo) bt. Emmanuella Kwange/Love Augustine(Niger) 4-0, 4-0
Mary Udoffa/Ekperebong James(Akwa Ibom) bt. Lorelax Holzendorf/Esther Ehimebe(Edo) 5-4(3), 4-1
Imole Afolabi/Bamidele Awe(Oyo) – Bye
Quarterfinal:
Favour Abengowe/Faith Onyia(Enugu) bt. Esther Oni/Faith Adeusi(Ekiti) 4-1, 1-4, 5-3
Favour Ijaola/Niniola Ajulo(Ogun) bt. Ekeledilichukwu Ibeh/Olamide Aluko(Delta) 5-4(3), 4-2
Destiny Okhinaye/Faith Ameh(Lagos) bt. Oluwanifemi Lagundoye/Ronke Adeyemi(Ondo) 4-2, 4-1
Imole Afolabi/Bamidele Awe(Oyo) bt. Mary Udoffa/Ekperebong James(Akwa Ibom) 5-4(3), 4-0
Semifinal:
Favour Ijaola/Niniola Ajulo(Ogun) bt. Favour Abengowe/Faith Onyia(Enugu) 4-2, 4-2
Destiny Okhinaye/Faith Ameh(Lagos) bt. Imole Afolabi/Bamidele Awe(Oyo) 4-1, 4-0
Final:
Destiny Okhinaye/Faith Ameh(Lagos) bt. Favour Ijaola/Niniola Ajulo(Ogun) 4-1, 4-1
Boy’s Doubles
1st Round:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Ezekiel Azi(FCT) bt. Joshua Sylvanus/John Adah(Bauchi) 4-0, 4-2
Philip Pyagbara/Joshua Maxwell(Rivers) bt. Sodiq Kushimo/Ayomide Oduwaye (Ogun) 4-2, 5-3
Michael Nekekpemi/Jimoh Taofeek(Bayelsa) bt. Emmanuel Musa/Prosper Igiehon(Edo) 4-0, 4-0
David Ekpenyong/Gabriel Inyang(Akwa Ibom) bt. Aliyu Abdulrazaq/Samad Olubuade(Kwara) 4-1, 4-1
Mubarak Ganiyu/Akinmusire Olayemi(Oyo) bt. Elisha Kwange/Bello Yahuza(Niger) 4-1, 4-0
Paul Okonkwo/Ikenna Okonkwo(Delta) bt. Adisa Olamide/Moses Timilehin(Ondo) 4-2, 4-2
Chijioke Uche/Uchenna Obisike(Imo) bt. Alaba Olaniyan/Oluwaseun Olaniyan(Osun) 4-1, 4-0
Daniel Adeleye/Seun Ogunsakin(Ekiti) bt. Daniel Mecha/Tochukwu Okafor(Enugu) 4-0, 4-0
Quarterfinal:
Suleiman Ibrahim/Ezekiel Azi(FCT) bt. Philip Pyagbara/Joshua Maxwell(Rivers) 4-1 4-2
David Ekpenyong/Gabriel Inyang(Akwa Ibom) bt. Michael Nekekpemi/Jimoh Taofeek(Bayelsa) 1-4, 5-3, 5-4(4)
Mubarak Ganiyu/Akinmusire Olayemi(Oyo) bt. Paul Okonkwo/Ikenna Okonkwo(Delta) 4-1, 4-1
Daniel Adeleye/Seun Ogunsakin(Ekiti) bt. Chijioke Uche/Uchenna Obisike(Imo) 4-1, 4-1
Semifinal:
David Ekpenyong/Gabriel Inyang(Akwa Ibom) bt. Suleiman Ibrahim/Ezekiel Azi(FCT) 0-4, 4-2, 4-2
Daniel Adeleye/Seun Ogunsakin(Ekiti) bt. Mubarak Ganiyu/Akinmusire Olayemi(Oyo) 2-4, 5-4(2), 10-2
Final:
Daniel Adeleye/Seun Ogunsakin(Ekiti) bt. David Ekpenyong/Gabriel Inyang(Akwa Ibom) 4-2, 4-1
