I can win olympic medal – Opeyori

Nigeria’s No. 1 badminton player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, talks about his journey into the sport, competing at two Olympic Games, African Games gold, and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

When did you start playing badminton?

I first got involved in badminton when I went to the Sports Council in Rowe Park in 2005, and a coach came to us when I was playing football with my brother. He introduced badminton to us, and it started from curiosity, and that was what sparked my interest, and one thing about badminton is that it is addictive. So, once you start playing it, you will not want to leave it, and I just got connected with it, and that was it.

Can you describe the early stages of your early journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s top badminton players?

My journey in badminton was a tough one. I did not experience very good players. The only time I experienced a proper badminton game was in 2012, when I went to a tournament in Ilorin. That was when I met some national players playing, and that was the first time that I saw people playing on high intensity. Most of the games that I have seen before involved my seniors, and I used to believe that they were the best, but once I went to Ilorin, they all got knocked out in the first round. It was really tough because I had to train myself and build myself to the next level. Going from where I don’t have a shoe, I had to stay in a shop to train and sleep there in the shop. One of my coaches had a shop in Katsina. My brother and I slept in that shop so that we could train. And after that, I think we moved back to our place in Makoko. At a point we don’t really have money for food, so we will have to do abdominal workouts to just quench the hunger temporarily. When you do something like a workout, you get a new form of energy that will form in your body. So, the hunger will pause temporarily. It was a very tough journey.

What were some of the milestones you achieved?

I went to a tournament after six months of getting involved in the sport, and I won two bronze medals in Kogi in 2005. I was nine years old then and was playing against some teenagers above my level.

I was playing some heats, and after the after the first three heats, my hand was already hurting me. I mean, there was no strength because the guy just kept clearing. And I was playing backhand, and I had no strength anymore. I was like, What is happening to my body? My body was weak. I did not even realise how the game ended for the singles; I cannot even remember because I am very sure it was going to be very fast. And the doubles, I am pretty sure that it would be my partner that was pushing and I was only just being supportive. I just found out that I won doubles bronze at the end of the day. Moving forward, it was very difficult for me to win school sports games, but I actually attempted three or so, and then I think the last one that I attended, I think it was 2011, my brother won gold and I got silver, and that was the last one I could go for because I finished my secondary school in 2011. In 2012, I got to the quarterfinals in my first sports festival. And from then on, I started participating in international tournaments and then won my first gold medal at an international competition in 2017. My partner had an issue before we went for the tournament, so I couldn’t play doubles. I only went there to play singles, and my opponent in the semifinal was in multiple events, so he was already stressed, so we were playing, and he won the first game, and in the second, he just jumped, and when he was landing, his Achilles cut off, and that was the end of the game. In the final, I met a Jordan guy, and he was the one that I beat. In 2018, I didn’t even achieve much, but I beat the Nigerian number one. In the Nigerian national tournament, I got to two finals, so I lost to a player from Katsina in the finals, and I won the one we did in Lagos. That was how my points shot up, and since then I have been at the top.

What was it like representing Nigeria at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 edition in Paris?

In 2020, I played doubles, but it was all the same. I actually took the experience as the same in singles because it is the same item that all of them are using, and the standard was very, very high. So, I took that experience and brought it back home, and that is what I was using to train. Those are the technicalities that we are looking for, so I mean, the experience actually helps my career, and I know what I am looking for; I know the kind of techniques, footwork, shapes, and forms that I am looking for. I know the amount of energy we need to impose and everything, so all these major tournaments like Tokyo and Paris actually gave me a full idea of what it is like to face all those elite athletes and work towards that goal.

Do you think you can win an Olympic medal?

I think it is possible, but the problem is that when we look at my level now, it is way past what Nigeria can give me, so the best way to maximise my potential is to go outside and to train.

The problem now is the funds to travel, to stay there, to pay for the training and everything. That is the major problem that I am having. Otherwise, of course, because I hate losing, I want to win, I want more, and I want to get more.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a professional badminton player from Nigeria?

Well, I think the biggest challenge faced in professional badminton is resources. It all boils down to resources, if we talk about training, sparring partners, coaches, technical coaches, physios, and also a good feeder, and the equipment needed as well. I even have difficulties getting sports trainers in Nigeria. I won’t say I was able to overcome. I’m just trying to manage it. You look at the situation, and you see that even if you complain, there is nothing that can be done. This is what you are capable of; this is the resource you can control; this is what they can give you, so that is how I manage this situation. The factor that I can control that is within my capability is what I just focus on.

Who have been your biggest inspirations or role models as a badminton player?

That will be Lin Dan from and Lee Choi Wei from Malaysia. Both of them are very competitive in this game. Badminton got popular because of these two because of the competition they have between themselves. Their rivalry is like Messi and Ronaldo. The first time I watched them was at the 2012 London Olympics; it was a very good moment to watch those icons.

What are your thoughts on the current state of badminton in Africa compared to other parts of the world?

Africa is way behind, and we are not doing a generational thing. Looking at Denmark badminton, when they have someone who is an icon, he will transmit that experience, that idea, that skill. So, they also built on his knowledge. And from there, they were able to get another athlete and another again. It was transitional; they were moving it forward. It is the same thing everywhere, and it shows in the level of competition among them. If we want to compete at their level, we also have to bring that level, that skill, and massive equipment. And also, what I noticed about Africans is that we always opt for the greener pastures, because the only thing that has been in my DMs since all these years is, are you not going to relocate? And to be honest, I have a good reason to do that because, if I am out there, the way I will be treated will be different from the way I am being treated here. But in a situation where we can bring all the resources down to Africa, Nigeria, and other countries, we can bring all the resources down, and we are also building on it, maintaining that level. I will tell you that it won’t cost us more than, let’s say, 10 years; we will be winning medals at the Olympics, and it won’t be only one person representing our country.

Like now, I find it very difficult to find a player to spar with whenever I go outside. Most of them used to select themselves; they don’t want to have anything to do with African players. We need to up the game; it should be a transitional thing. Iron sharpens iron. I want this tradition that someone will come and dethrone me, but I will set the standard that before you dethrone me, you must get to this standard. You must work hard, so work very hard and get to this standard because if you cannot, you cannot take this game to where we want it to be.

What are your goals and aspirations for the remainder of your badminton career?

I haven’t gotten to the top 50 in world badminton rankings. I think my highest rank is 90 or something, so my goal is top 50 now. The problem has always been getting visas for the tournaments, but once I am able to go for one or two tournaments, I will be able to play very much, and I am getting good training, and standard training will boost my tournament experience. It will boost everything. I won’t have to go back to ground zero again every time.

What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?

Well, I would say it was the All African Games 2019 in Morocco. That was the first time that I won a gold medal at the Games. I was so happy. I couldn’t believe it that I could win that because the opponent I was playing against was quite nice. That’s Julian Paul from Mauritius. I had always admired his game, but I still focused and got the job done.

What is your advice for a young badminton player in Nigeria?

I would say they should keep on working hard. My path is different from theirs, but they can also use me as an example and be inspired by me, but they should be themselves and trust the process. They should actually look forward to or explore the badminton world, read and understand what they are reading, and also watch the video to understand what they have read. They should build a very strong heart as well.

What roles has your family played in your success story?

Everybody knows that my brother has been very supportive. My mom too. I mean, she has always wanted good things for me too; she has been quite supportive. Even though at some point she told me to look for a job, which is a normal thing to say because badminton wasn’t bringing money then. But she has been very supportive. She actually supported any decision I made. My dad did not know about my badminton stuff until recently, now that it is everywhere.

Can you envision your life in retirement?

I have already envisioned it to be a coach, to impart knowledge on the sporting environment in Nigeria. So, it is a side thought that I should even start a foundation or an academy already, so that I can start breeding the younger ones. It’s something I will look into. I am blazing a trail for the ones coming behind. They can always skip the process that I went through. It can be imparted to them very easily. I am really ready to do
that.