Former African badminton champion, Jinkan Ifraimu, caused a major upset at the 2015 Lagos International Badminton Classics when he defeated Israeli Misha Ziberman. He tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about his aim at the 2015 All Africa Games in this interview
You are ranked 511 in the world but you defeated the 49-ranked Misha Ziberman at the 2015 Lagos International Badminton Classics in July. How were you to able to beat the Israeli, who was then champion of the event?
There is no secret behind my success but God. I want to give Him the glory for the opportunity I got to represent my country at the event. Lagos International Badminton Classics is one of the highest ranked tournaments in Africa. It helped me in securing some Olympics points and we had about 26 countries in attendance. It was not easy beating the Israeli but I did my best. Actually I was prepared for the tournament. I was focused but I had a little problem because I entered for three events. That was why I couldn’t qualify for the final of any of the events. The foreign players at the tournament are not better than some of us. If a Nigerian player, who is ranked 511, can beat the champion, then something is probably wrong within the badminton crew. Maybe they need to look at sponsorship prospects for the game and the exposure of the players. They need to ensure that the players attend more international tournaments and get better exposure. The more you know the big badminton players, the better because you will be able to play at their level.
With the right sponsorship, facilities and welfare package, which heights can Nigeria’s badminton players attain?
We can reach the very top of the game. The first time I played Ziberman in 2013 in an Olympic qualifying match in Botswana, I lost 2-1. But this year I beat him. The more you play against them and play in the same tournaments with them, the more you get to know all their tricks. There is nothing fantastic about these guys. It’s all about having the right mind set and focus. With that, you can get them down. I played the Israeli and an Australian at the competition and you can see that ‘this guy can make it.’ I made some errors in the tournament but its fine. There is hope because the All Africa Games is here and I want to do even better.
After causing a major upset at the Lagos Classics, were you disappointed not winning a medal in the event?
Ifraimu in action
Yes, but not so much because my performance was assuring. There were lots of players who lost out in the first round. There was so much expectations, fans wanted me to get to the final. I didn’t want to lose because of the fans out there but I think my performance was fair on Nigerians. We are just home-based; we train here and play here. We hardly travel outside to play. But the foreigners who played in Lagos will be going to Ireland, from there to Wales and all around the world. But for the Nigerian players, I don’t think we are going anywhere apart from the All Africa Games.
You carried the expectations of a nation at the classics. Were you under pressure to perform at the event?
Of course I played under pressure. I didn’t want to lose because I know Nigerians will be sad if I did; they backed me in large numbers. They trusted me and wanted me to win. I was a little bit scared because I didn’t want to lose. If I had gone to the tournament to enjoy myself, it would have been different but I was very conscious of winning. The pressure was very high.
Do you think you can win a gold medal in the badminton men’s event at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo?
I earned a lot of confidence from the Lagos Classics, I must confess. The players I’m going to meet at the AAG in Congo are actually not as strong as the players I played at the Lagos Classics in July. So, if we work harder with determination and dedication, with the right sponsorship from the National Sports Commission, at least we can deliver four gold medals to Nigeria.
Personally, what are you promising Nigerians at the AAG?
I am trusting God. If there is no pressure, we will deliver four gold medals as I promised. It’s not about me but about the entire team.
Why did you choose badminton ahead of other sports?
Actually I started with tennis and I switched to football before I settled for badminton. We have a lot of footballers but I chose badminton because of my love for it. It’s a clean game and it’s not a contact sport; only your strength can rescue you from any situation you find yourself. Badminton brings fairness and love.
In five years’ time, where will Jinkan Ifraimu be as a badminton player?
From the Lagos Classics, you can see that we have a lot of young Nigerian players coming up. I’m 29 and honestly, I don’t know where I will be in five years’ time. I am calculating two years to give Nigerians cause to smile as a badminton player.
When were your best and worst moments as a badminton player?
My best is still yet to come but my worst moment was at the African Championship in Ethiopia in 2012. That was where I lost the African title to a South African. I lost because of lack of preparation and tournaments. It made me really sad.
What are the major challenges of the Nigerian badminton player?
It’s sponsorship. I work with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. They are the people pushing us forward in the game by sponsoring us. Apart from NSCDC I don’t have another job. The more we don’t play tournaments, the more our rankings drop. Tournaments will expose us and help us gain more experience, which will help us deliver results for Nigeria. So, if there are no tournaments, where will you go? For the past three years, I have been in this country. I didn’t play anywhere except the Lagos Classics. Can you imagine that? Nigerians need emergency results. They want you to go out there and win but how you do it, they don’t know. How you prepared, they don’t know. We crossed the first, second and third rounds, to the quarterfinals, at the Lagos classics, it was amazing. Some of the foreigners, who have been playing all over the world, crashed out in the first round. But a Nigerian, who didn’t travel anywhere, got to the quarterfinals, defeating the champion in the process. It means a lot.
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