Augustina: Leading a new generation of stars
In the process, the badminton queen who is presently recuperating from a ghastly auto accident has been a source of inspiration to many female badminton players in the FCT who aspire to either be like her or even better than her in future. One of such female badminton players who can be described as disciple […]
In the process, the badminton queen who is presently recuperating from a ghastly auto accident has been a source of inspiration to many female badminton players in the FCT who aspire to either be like her or even better than her in future.
One of such female badminton players who can be described as disciple of Grace Daniel is Miss Augustina Akonwaye Sunday, the teenage badminton player who has represented Nigeria twice and is widely tipped to lead a new generation of female badminton players in the FCT.
Born on August 28, 1996 to Mr. Ehbomie Sunday, a retired soldier, Augustine who is a student of Army Day Secondary School Mambila Barracks in Abuja developed interest in the sport at a very early age but became actively involved in it at the age of 12 after her primary education. She was motivated to play badminton after each time she watched the likes of Grace Daniel play the game with so much dexterity and commitment.
Augustina who hails from Igwebien Local Government Area of Edo State will forever be grateful to her parents who never discouraged her from taking part in sports. As a practical demonstration of their blessings, they made sacrifices to ensure that she never lacked the necessary playing kits. Buoyed by such encouragement, she began to aim for the skies and in an instant, the results rolled in to make her a promising star being tipped to step into the large shoes of Grace Daniel in no distant future.
Just like any beginner, she had to over come some challenges when she started. The challenges were daunting but not insurmountable because she enjoyed the guidance and encouragement from the senior players and the coaches. Mixing such encouragements with self motivation, she was able to develop the self confidence that has produced the player who is today the pride of FCT and Nigeria at the junior level.
Even before she represented the Federal Capital Territory in any major championship, Augustina had represented the country twice. Her first competition for the FCT was the 2009 National Sports festival at Kaduna where she lost at the quarter finals to a more experienced opponents
As earlier said, her performance at KADA games which mesmerized many followers of the sport was made possible by the international exposure that she took to the games. In 2008 in Cairo Egypt, she represented Nigeria at the All Africa Junior Tournament U-15 Championship, where she played a key role for the Nigerian team to clear all the gold medals that were at stake. In 2009, Augustina represented Nigeria at the All African Secondary Schools Games in Mauritius where she brought home gold medals in singles and mixed doubles.
It was at the Championship in Mauritius that she played the badminton that she will never forget in a hurry. As expected, winning her first singles gold medal will remain indelible in her memory and she wants to keep building on the foundation she has laid for herself.
Her rise to prominence among her peers has not been without unpleasant moment as she still lives with the pain of defeat inflicted on her by an opponent who denied her the opportunity to represent Nigeria in South Africa in 2009.
Augustina has since put that disappointment behind her and is looking forward to the forth coming national sports festival where she is hoping to improve on her performance at KADA 2009.
Apart from her desire to excel at the National Sports Festival in Rivers State, she has set another target for herself which those who have not watched her play will certainly take it with a pinch of salt. Augustina’s idol in badminton is no other person but Grace Daniel who inspired her to take to the sport. For those who know Grace’s enviable records, she is the most successful female badminton player in Nigeria and one of the best on the continent yet Augustina who is a starter wants to surpass the records of Grace who is an Olympian.
Yes, what she has set out to achieve appears daunting but she believes she can do it. “I feel privileged to be where I am at the moment. I give glory to God as I hope to keep doing my best. It is a talent given to me by God and I will always reach for the top”.