Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
Before the opening ceremony, in the morning, the quarterfinals of the team competition were held, with Mauritius and Egypt securing their wins over Nigeria and Uganda, respectively. The semifinal matches began at 3 PM with a short break in between for the players to rest. Just a few moments prior to the formal opening ceremony, the finalists for the team event had already been determined as Algeria and Mauritius prevailed in two nail-biting matches against Egypt and South Africa to gain an electrifying final to be played today.
The mayor of Douala, Dr. Roger Mbassa Dine, and the Minister of Sports, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, were present for the ceremony. After the Minister of Sports addressed the guests, the 26th edition of the African Badminton Championship was declared open. Local dances marked the opening of the celebration, and there was an amazing atmosphere characterized by presentation of participating delegations.
Mrs. Odette Assembe, President of the Federation of Badminton, said she was proud of the event and though the Cameroonian badminton team could not do better on home soil and had been eliminated from the team competition, she affirmed her optimism of the future. Head coach Ernest Moukete apologized to the local fans who came out in numbers for support and assured them of a better performance.
The gymnasium, which features a modular setup, met the required standards for the competition thanks to the joint efforts of the state and the federation. The President of the African Badminton Confederation, Michel Bey, expressed no surprise at the quality of the infrastructure and organization, as he praised how everything was well structured
The championship is heading towards a conclusion on Sunday, February 16, and the Cameroonian athletes are still in the race for individual quarterfinals. They are determined to work hard to improve their game and secure a medal.
