Akwa Ibom Rules National Squash Championship With 10 Medals

The Akwa Ibom State squash team has announced its arrival on the national stage with a spectacular performance at the 7th edition of the National Squash Championship, emerging as the overall best team with an impressive haul of five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.
Team Akwa Ibom dominated the junior categories, winning gold medals in the U-11 Boys, U-13 Boys, U-13 Girls, U-17 Boys and U-17 Girls categories.
The team also secured silver medals in the U-11 Boys and U-17 Boys categories, while bronze medals were won in the U-11 Girls and U-13 Girls categories, taking the state’s overall medal tally to 10 medals.
The championship, organised by Squash Ex-Professional Players, attracted junior players from different states across the federation, with Team Akwa Ibom ultimately finishing as the tournament’s overall best-performing team.
The 7th edition featured male and female junior players competing in the U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-17 categories and was held at the Abuja National Stadium, Abuja.
Akwa Ibom was represented by a 14-player contingent comprising eight male and six female players, with the team led by coach Ibanga Etukudo.
Speaking after the team’s impressive outing, Engineer Iniobong Esuene, board member of the Nigerian Squash Federation and Vice chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Squash Association described the achievement as a significant milestone for squash in Akwa Ibom State, noting that it was the first time in a long while that the state had emerged victorious at a national championship. “ The best result ever in the history of squash in our state” delighted Engineer Ini Obong said.
The impressive performance has also earned the young athletes further opportunities to compete at major national events. Thirteen of the 14 Team Akwa Ibom players have been invited to participate in the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Tournament in Abeokuta as well as the National Racquet Festival in Ibadan, both scheduled to take place later this year.
The remarkable achievement underscores the growing strength of squash development in Akwa Ibom State and provides further evidence of the impact of sustained investment in grassroots sports development.
With 10 medals and invitations to two major national competitions, Team Akwa Ibom’s performance in Abuja represents a significant step forward for the state’s squash programme and another encouraging chapter in Akwa Ibom’s emerging sports renaissance.