The ex-President of the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF), Adamu Erena, said the sport attained great momentum in 2023 as it was added to the 2028 Atlanta Olympics games.
Erena said this in an interview on Friday in Lagos, while assessing the performance of the sport in 2023. He expressed optimism about the sport’s increasing popularity within the country, highlighting the growing interest, participation and its inclusion in the 2028 Atlanta Olympics.
“The awareness of the sport in recent times is commendable, the exposure and publicity given to the sport is amazing,” Erena said. “In my assessment this was a good year for squash.”
“The confidence of our players has grown to a great level. The number of tournaments this year was good. With more collaborative efforts we can have more,” Erena added.
“All hands must be on deck to achieve this in the coming year and I’m happy for these young talented players. Being in the Olympics is the icing on the cake.”
On the level of development of squash in the North, Erena said that squash was in a rebuilding process in the North.
“We’ve newly groomed players that are coming up, I know by next year with exposure,they would have gained momentum,” Erena added.
“Discovering more talents and grooming them to stardom is something we’re committed to as stakeholders.”
The former president’s optimistic perspective reflects the positive trajectory of squash in the country. As the sport continues to gain recognition and attract new players, it is poised to become a thriving and popular sporting activity enjoyed by many.
