Rofiat, Adegoke win top prizes at maiden John Hetts tourney

Posted : 30 October 2023

The finals of the inaugural John Hetts Sports Foundation (JHSF) saw Onaopemipo Adegoke and Rofiat Abdulazeez emerging as victors in the male and female categories, reaffirming their status as Nigeria's top-ranked players. The tournament, which took place from October 25 to October 28 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, featured players competing in the best of five games.

In the women's final, Abdulazeez defeated Favour Utukpe with a score of 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-2, for an aggregate of 3-1. Utukpe mentioned that she had not played in any final for the past two years due to a break from squash. She expressed satisfaction with her performance, considering her absence from major tournaments. She acknowledged Abdulazeez's victory, stating that it wasn't surprising, and she's gradually regaining her form and enjoyment of the game through training and strategic planning.

Abdulazeez, whose birthday fell on October 27, considered the win the perfect birthday gift. She recognized the tough competition and commended her opponent, Favour Utukpe, for her performance.

In the male final, Gabriel Olufunmilayo provided a tough challenge for Adegoke, leading 2-0 in the first two sets of the best-of-five-game match. Adegoke made a comeback, winning the last two matches. The final set was unpredictable, and due to exhaustion, Olufunmilayo could not complete the match, resulting in the last set being retired at 77 minutes. Adegoke ultimately asserted his supremacy, winning 11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 8-11, 11-11.

Adegoke described the game as one of his toughest finals, draining him both physically and mentally. He acknowledged the strong performance of his opponent, Gabriel, and expressed his relief at winning.

Sola Adekunle, Chairman of the Yellow Dot Squash Club, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of players and squash enthusiasts. He commended the unpredictability and intensity of the final and encouraged support for these talented young players.

Wasiu Bello, the Tournament Director representing the sponsors, conveyed their satisfaction with the tournament's outcome, emphasizing that the skills displayed were of Olympic standard. He thanked the sponsors and hoped for more support in the future.

In terms of prizes, both the female and male category winners received N400,000, while the second-placed players received N200,000, and the third and fourth-placed players in both categories received N120,000. Players who reached the quarter-final stage in both categories received N70,000, while those in the Round of 16 received N30,000, and Round of 32 players received N20,000 each.

The tournament is officially sanctioned by the Professional Squash Association and the World Squash Federation.

Rofiat, Adegoke win top prizes at maiden John Hetts tourney

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