The Nigerian team to participate in next week’s African Junior Championship 12 & Under qualifying event in Cotonou, Benin Republic has been named, and will now depart Lagos on Sunday, 3 March.
In the girls’ category, FCT’s Salamatu Haruna, Niniola Ajulo of Ogun State, and Oyo’s Imole Afolabi make up the young trio, while Seun Ogunshakin from Ekiti State, FCT’s Idris Mohammed, and Rivers’s Precious Ikeuba lead the charge in the boys’ category.
Nigeria’s veteran, Abdulmumin Babalola will coach the team, having been selected by the country’s tennis federation.
The players will join other teams from different West & Central African nations in Cotonou in a training camp already organized by the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT). The Secretary-General of the NTF, Mrs. Mariam Akande noted that the training camp will span two days before the tournament begins.
“The players have been undergoing training individually for some time now,” Akande said. “So, no more camping [in Lagos as earlier thought]. The CAT is organising a training camp for all the participating teams.
“They [the team] are travelling on the 3rd of March now. The programme [training camp] is 4th and 5th of March. They assemble in Lagos on [Saturday] the 2nd of March and travel on [Sunday] the 3rd of March.”
The AJC qualifying event will hold from 6 – 10 March in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
