Two-time Olympic badminton player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, has advised beginners and aspiring players to remain focused and committed in order to excel in the sport.
Opeyori, who is based in the United States, said in a telephone interview yesterday that discipline and consistency were crucial to success in badminton.
He said players must continually train and understand the pattern of their training in order to improve.
“Both discipline and consistency are very important in badminton.
“Players must keep showing up and also recognise the pattern of their training, otherwise it will be difficult to improve.
“They should understand why they are training and be able to identify what they are doing right or wrong. Players should maintain the intensity of their training and not give up easily.
“They should also realise that every shot is important in badminton. This is how beginners can develop themselves and carve a niche in the sport.
“They must also possess the right mindset and attitude toward the game in order to excel,” he said.
Opeyori competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
He served as Nigeria’s team captain and also the country’s flag bearer during the parade of nations at the Paris Olympics.
The badminton star is also a two-time gold medallist at the African Games and has won the men’s singles title at the African Badminton Championships.
He advised beginners to avoid learning complex shots at the early stage of their development.
“Firstly, they should solidify their foundation by understanding basic techniques such as footwork, how to hit a clear and how to execute a normal drop shot.
“They should not start with learning how to smash because it involves complex techniques that could damage their foundation and lead to poor skills.
“Beginners should avoid rushing into advanced techniques. Learning badminton requires patience because it is not a sport that can be mastered hurriedly,” he said.
Opeyori is the most decorated African male badminton player.
The Olympian added that the major challenge faced by Nigerian athletes, both at home and abroad, remained funding and expenses.
“Growing up in Nigeria requires a lot of survival skills.
“Sports require resources and the challenges have always been equipment, infrastructure and manpower, such as the availability of coaches and exposure.
“I have been able to overcome these challenges by focusing on what I can control.
“I studied business management and administration and I apply the knowledge from my studies to my sporting career and other activities,” he said.
According to him, he did not initially set a target when he started playing badminton.
“When I started badminton, I did not have a specific target but I already understood what the sport was about; it was introduced to me unexpectedly and there was no plan.
“It happened by coincidence and it turned out to be an interesting development. I initially applied to become a gymnast but I was not patient enough to pursue it to the end,” Opeyori said.
He said that before the maiden International Lagos Classic in 2014, he set a personal target that no foreign player would defeat him on home soil, adding that he was happy to have achieved the goal.
The gold medallist at the 2025 African Badminton Championships said he remained active in badminton and was still open to representing Nigeria.
“I am still competing in badminton tournaments here in the U.S. and it provides a good environment for the sport because it pushes me to intensify my training more than when I was in Nigeria.
“There are good facilities here for training. I have access to training kits and partners.
“I also have an upcoming tournament in May which is bigger than most tournaments in Africa. It is a Super 300 badminton competition,” he said.