FASU 2024: How tennis champions Destiny Okhinaye, Godwin Mary won women’s doubles gold
(LAGOS) – Competitions in the tennis category of the 11th All African University Games (FASU 2024) ended on Thursday, 26 September 2024 in a colourful medal presentation ceremony.
Noticeable on the podium were two athletes from Benson Idahosa University—Destiny Okhinaye and Godwin Mary. The duo rose above the pressures of competing to clinch gold in the Women’s Doubles Final at the 11th All Africa University Games.
Their journey, a remarkable one, was nothing short of extraordinary. The duo embodied the virtues of self-belief and teamwork on the court.
For Destiny Okhinaye who emerged as the Silver medalist in the Women’s singles, the journey to the final was quite challenging.
After an easy first match, the competition toughened considerably in the Semi-finals. Facing a seeded player, Destiny admitted that the pressure weighed on her.
“My first game was easy, but from the Semi-finals, things became difficult because I was playing a seeded player from Nigeria. I knew I had to show mental strength even after losing the first set”, she shared.
Indeed, Destiny fought back and secured victory. She would go on to finish in second place in the Women’s singles but, it was the Women’s doubles final that became the defining moment for her at the Games.
Her teammate, Mary Godwin, spoke about her struggles when she and Destiny faced the University of Ghana in a tense Women’s doubles semi-final. After a 4-2 win in the first set, the duo were rattled by the loud support from the Ghanaian crowd.
“In the second set, we were a bit tense. We had won the first set, so we thought we’d have no problems wining the second. But the distractions were much and the Ghanaian fans were loud. We had few people cheering for us”, Mary recalled.
The Nigerian duo lost the second set and the game was pushed into a third set decider. However, the pair would not allow a second-set loss to affect their gold medal chances.
“We told ourselves we could win the match. We were positive and we adopted a do-or-die mentality”.
Sharing more insights on their second-set struggles in the Semi-final, Mary had this to say,
“We didn’t play well in the second set. I was losing my forehand shots and the pressure to perform was too much. I was frustrated and angry” she said.
She added “As an athlete, the moment you can control your anger and frustration during games, your chances of winning increases drastically”, she explained. And that’s exactly what she did.
The pair regained focus and played their hearts out to claim the win that sent them to the finals.
Their brilliance was evident in the final as they breezed past the University of Lagos in a 6-0, 6-0 emphatic victory to win gold.
Behind Mary’s success lies a pre-match routine. Carrying her jotter, She makes sure to write five points before going out to play on the court.
“Focus, Determination, Stay on the Court, Go for All Points, and Ginger Yourself”
These simple yet powerful reminders helped her stay grounded amid the challenges at the Games.
For Mary, this tournament marked her last appearance in a major competition as a University athlete. A final-year student, she has set her eyes on transitioning into a professional tennis career. Having previously won silver at the 2022 NUGA and been named Singles MVP at WAUG, her departure from university tennis comes with a wealth of accolades and great expectations for the future.
Destiny Okhinaye, a freshman, can find great inspiration in the remarkable performance of her partner, Godwin Mary. With a couple of years ahead of her in the university system, Okhinaye is undoubtedly a rising talent to watch out for on the continental tennis stage.
