Opeyori loses, extinguishing Nigeria’s hope for a badminton medal

Anuoluwapo Opeyori, Nigeria’s lone entry in the badminton competition of the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, on Wednesday made his exit from the event.

Opeyori, whose chances had looked slim from the beginning, lost his second and final Group N game 0-2 to China’s Li Shi Feng.

Playing at La Chapelle Arena Court 2 in Paris in a men’s singles group play stage fixture, Opeyori failed to hold his own to lose 17-21 17-21.

The loss was Opeyori’s second in his three-player group, where only the group winner advances to the quarter-finals.

He had earlier, on Tuesday, lost his first match 0-2 (20-22 14-21) to Switzerland’s Tobias Kuenzi, thereby finishing bottom of the group.

Opeyori’s exit from the competition meant Nigeria will now only be looking forward to honours from sports other than badminton, table tennis, football and boxing at the Games.