Lagos –  Badminton supporters  were on Saturday disappointed as no Nigerian made it to the final of the five events of the 2nd International Badminton Classics held at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos.
The events were men’s and women’s  singles,men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country’s representatives all crashed out of the tournament at the quarter-final stages.
Nigerians had banked and hoped on the country’s men number one player, Jinkam Ifraimu, to at least play in the men’s singles final but unfortunately did not live up to expectation.
In the final of the men’s event, India’s Sai Praneeth, seeded number one at the competition, defeated Poland’s Adrian Dzioiko seeded number five 2-0.
Czech Republic’s unseeded  player, Kristina Gavnholt defeated Turkeys,Ozge Bayrak seeded number seven 2-1 to take the women’s title.
The pair of Poland’s Przemyalaw and Adam Cwalina defeated India’s  Manu Attry and Sumeeth Reddy 2-0 in the men;s doubles.
In the mixed doubles Poland’s, Robert Mateusiak and Nadieza Zieba defeated India’s Kona Tarun and Nisikki Reddy  2-0.
The pair of Turkey’s Ozge Bayrak and Neshan Yigit suffered a 1-2 loss in the hands of India’s Pradnya Gadre and Nisikki Reddy in the women’s doubles.
Francis Orbih, the Chairman,Lagos State Badminton Association (LSBA) said this year’s edition had been a keenly competed one due to the presence of more countries than the maiden edition last year.
”This year we saw the best players coming around.  Everyone fought so hard to win.
”It wasn’t about the money but the points at stake. They all came to move up in both the local and international ranking,”he said.
Orbih, who is also the Vice-President, Nigeria Badminton Federation (NBF), said that the technical committee would go back to work on the county’s national players.
”We still have a whole lot of work to do and I want you to remember that Rome was not built in a day.
”We still have some time to strengthen the squad before the Games in Congo Brazzavillie, ”he said.
Winners in all singles event got 1,830 dollars each, runners up 930 dollars, semi finalist 450 dollars while quarter finalist got 150 dollars.
Winners in doubles got 540 dollars, runners up 300 dollars, semi finalist 120 dollars.
The total prize money given to the winners was 15,000 dollars.
The competition served off July 15 and ended July 18 with 25 countries competing.
The countries are:England, Czech Republic, Mauritius, India, Italy, USA, Isreal, Ireland, South Africa, Portugal, Egypt, Austria, Belgium,Canada, Slovak, Hungary, Turkey.
Others are:Benin Republic, Russia, Poland, Ghana,Slovenia, Uganda, Zambia and Nigeria.