Over 150 athletes from 13 countries will compete in various categories at the maiden Abia Para Badminton International and the All Africa Para Badminton Championships.
The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Nwaobilor Ananaba, disclosed this at a news conference in Umuahia on Sunday.
Ananaba, represented by Mr Raymond Ukwa, the Special Assistant to Abia Governor on Sports, confirmed the state’s readiness for the two events that would hold simultaneously.
He said that “the first event would hold between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, while the second, the All African Para Badminton Championship, would commence on Oct. 6 and end on Oct.12.”
Ananaba said that the state had for the past few months, been preparing to host the two critical events at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
“How are we prepared as a state? In Abia today, we have the best playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, the first of its kind in West Africa, so to say.
“When you’re able to go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable playing field, and of course that is also world class,” he said.
Abia had hosted the 5th National Para Badminton Championship between July 14 and July 17 at the same venue.
Also speaking, Mr Samuel Ekeoma, a member of the Local Organising Committee and National Coordinator, Para Badminton Association of Nigeria, said that the athletes would be competing in six categories for males and females.
Ekeoma, who doubles as the Second Vice President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), listed Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Tunisa, Rwanda, Cameroun and Zimbabwe among the participating nations