Table Tennis
Akingbemisilu leads Nigeria’s return to ITTF para ranking
Bolawa Akingbemisilu has led the league of Nigerian players making their return to the ITTF Para ranking released by the world table tennis ruling body at the weekend.
Akingbemisilu, a silver medalist at the 2023 ITTF Masters Para Open in Italy, hit the top seven in men’s class five of the latest ranking , while the quartet of Isau Ogunkunle, Tajudeen Agunbiade, Faith Obiora and Ahmed Koleosho returned to the world ranking after their inactiveness prompted their removal from the world ranking.
It was Akingbemisilu who made his international debut at the ITTF Masters Para Open that became one of the biggest movers in the world after he became the only African in the top seven in the world.
With 1145 points, Akingbemisilu who was part of the 16-man team sponsored by the Delta State government to the first hurdle to Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, lost to Serbia’s Mitar Palikuca in the final to settle for silver in Italy and his performance especially his 3-2 win over Commonwealth Games champion Jack Hunter of England in the semifinal round became the talking points in Italy and he also been touted for a spot at the Paralympic Games in 2024.
Another silver medalist in Italy, Ogunkunle is now ranked 17th in the men’s class four, while Koleosho is rated 40th in the men’s class three.
Team captain Agunbiade is rated 15 in the men’s class nine, while Olufemi Alabi also returned to 22nd in the men’s class 10.
The highest rated Nigerian female player is Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi ranked 11th while her compatriot Obiora is rated 12th in class five.
Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Faith Obazuaye also returned to the ranking as the national champion ranked 19th in the women’s class 10.
For the team manager of the para table tennis team, Sunday Odebode, the return to the world ranking would surely help the players to garner enough points to secure their eventual qualification for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France.
“We are indeed excited with the performance of our players in Italy and the results have shown with the latest ranking released by ITTF.
“This is a good start on their way to qualify for the Paralympic Games in France. We hope we can attend another competition before the continental qualifiers in Egypt later this year so that we can have more players making it to Paris and this would give us a medal chance in France come 2024.
“ We are grateful to Delta State for their support and we hope other states can take a cue from this gesture so that our players can garner enough points to be sure of picking their tickets to France,”Odebode added.
Nigeria’s Wahid Enitan Oshodi is the new Sherif in the African table tennis community having been unanimously elected as the president of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).
His journey in sports administration started in 2000 when he was appointed into the Lagos State Sports Council Governing Board under the administration of Bola Tinubu who was then, the Lagos State governor.
He later became the chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA when Babatunde Fashola was Governor of Lagos State.
In the same dispensation, he was appointed as Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development in 2011, and he supervised the most exciting National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.
Thereafter he was elected President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) where he brought vibrancy to the sport unearthing international stars like Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo.
Oshodi was recognised by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) as he was appointed the chairman of its Nomination Committee.
In 2019, he was elected the Deputy President of ATTF and in 2021, he beat candidates from China and Europe to top the voting for the post of the Executive Vice President of ITTF.
His ingenuity in sports administration has made Nigeria one of the table tennis hubs in the world.
On October 15, 2024 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa he was unanimously elected as the 6th President of ATTF.
With his election, Oshodi is the only Nigerian currently presiding over a continental sports body.
A new era in the history of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) begins this Tuesday as Nigeria’s Wahid Enitan Oshodi is unanimously elected as the President of the 54-member continental sports body.
That is the high point of the Annual General Meeting of the continental body held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He thus becomes the only Nigerian heading a continental sports organisation.
His tenure is for four years he steps in to replace Khaled El-Salhy who served three terms from 2010 to 2024.
Before his ascension to the high seat, Oshodi was the Deputy President of ATTF and Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has announced a 10-member squad, predominantly featuring junior players, for the 2024 ITTF African Championships in Addis Ababa from October 12 to 19.
The final list, released by the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), includes seasoned stars like Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo, Ajoke Ojomu, and Fatimo Bello.
Joining them are promising young talents such as Matthew Kuti, Muiz Adegoke, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, Aishat Rabiu, Hope Udoaka, and Aziza Sezuo.
Matthew Kuti, who made his senior debut at the 2023 African Games in Ghana and competed in the 2023 African Championships in Tunis is West Africa champion and he will be making his second appearance at the continental event. In contrast, Adegoke and Abdulfatai will debut at the African Championships after leading the men’s team to victory at the 2024 West Africa Regional Championships in Lome, Togo.
Udoaka, West Africa women’s champion; Rabiu and Sezuo, products of NTTF’s grassroots efforts, will also make their first appearance at the African Championships.
These players featured in the maiden Daniel Ford tournament and they displayed exceptional skills to win the hearts of the national handlers.
NTTF Vice President Adesoji Tayo explained that including junior players is part of the federation’s strategy to expose them to top-class competition early.
“We decided a few years ago to unearth new players, and we are happy that some of these players are coming through. They represented the country at the regional tournament in Togo and competed against top players from the region.
“This is another opportunity for them to gain experience at the African Championships. We are not expecting too much from them because they still need to gain more confidence. They have experienced players like Aruna, Omotayo, Bello, and Ojomu to learn from. We hope they can hold their own against some of the best players in Africa,” Tayo said.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopia Table Tennis Federation (ETTF) has promised an exciting tournament that blends culture and sport. ETTF President Tesfaye Bizane hopes to use the event to showcase Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage.
“Hosting the tournament after 24 years offers a unique chance to showcase Ethiopia’s cultural heritage and history, making the event more than just a sporting competition,” Bizane said.
“Visitors can expect a warm welcome and vibrant cultural experience in Ethiopia. As the birthplace of coffee, they will have the opportunity to taste authentic coffee directly from its source. Guests can explore various attractions, including the National Museum, which houses a 3.2 million-year-old fossil, zoos, aquariums, the African Union Headquarters, and the Adwa Memorial Museum.
“This rich blend of history, culture, and hospitality promises a memorable experience,” Bizane added.
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