World Youth Scrabble Championships: Aliu, Sophia become the first Africans to win medals

History was made in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital on Sunday as two young talented Nigerian Scrabble players won medals.

Team Nigeria captain Abdulqudus Olawale Aliu, became the first Nigerian and African to win a silver medal at the World Youth Scrabble Championships finishing behind India’s Madhav Gopal Kamath.

Aliu ended the highly competitive and gruelling championship with 19 wins from 24 games and 1406 points behind Kamath, who recorded 21 wins and cumulative points of plus 2354.

Aehzam Ahmed of Pakistan came third with 17 wins and 1728 points.

It was a double celebration for Team Nigeria and Africa as Sophia Ebube Ekeruche, became the first female from the continent to win the best female diadem.

The girl with support from the Chairman of Lagos State Scrabble and Monopoly Association (LSSAMA), Engineer Dipo Akanbi, against all odds fought her way to the top among her gender, winning 15 and drawing 2 out of 24 games.

Sophia, the recently crowned U15 African Youth Scrabble Championships ‘Queen’ won 5, drew 1 on Day 1 and repeated the same fate on Day 2 while she hit 5 wins out of 7 games on the final Day with 867 cumulative points.

That result helped her to end the competition in the 12 position among 218 players from 16 countries.

Two other members of Team Nigeria Prestige Archibong and Joy Eberechukwu Nwabuzor finished the Championship outside the honours list.

Kenya’s best player at the end of the Championship is Dalton Njenga at number 113 position with the 12    wins and minus 14 points. Kenya was represented by 13 players.

Nepal’s Nityanta Chaulagain returned home without a win from 24 games and minus 4341 points.

TOP 3

★ Madhav Gopal Kamath – India

★ Abdulqudus Olawale Aliu – Nigeria

★ Aehzam Ahmed – Pakistan

BEST FEMALE

★ Sophia Ebube Ekeruche – Nigeria