Table Tennis
QUADRI, ASSAR START 2018 AT TOP 20 IN ITTF WORLD RANKING
Nigerian players are among the biggest beneficiaries of the new ITTF ranking as Aruna Quadri gained a step to start 2018 at 20, while Olajide Omotayo gained a lot by moving from 514 to 213 in the January 2018 ranking released by the world table tennis ruling body.
Having ended 2017 at 21, Quadri began the year at 21 while Egypt’s Omar Assar also gained from the new ranking system as the Egyptian is ranked 16 in the world.
At world level, a new order took place as the reign of China’s Ma Long came to an end in the new ranking as the Olympic and World Champion has been displaced by Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
According to ITTF, the new system took into consideration the number of competitions that each player competes in while such player is also expected to earn points from every stage he attains in the tournament.
China’s Long, who dropped to seven in the latest rating has dominated the ranking for more than two years missed out from the latest ranking as the best player in the world as the top spot is now being occupied by Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
For Dimitrij Ovtcharov, the top spot is a result of a series of outstanding performances in the past year by the now 29 year old who enjoyed the best 12 months of his career.
He won the ITTF Europe Top 16 Cup, as well as at the Liebherr Men’s World Cup in addition to reserving the top step of the podium on the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour in Bulgaria, China, Germany and India.
Additionally he reached the fourth round of the Men’s Singles event at the Liebherr 2017 World Championships and was the runner up at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals.
Simply, those results are the reason why for the first time in his career, Dimitrij Ovtcharov occupies the number one spot in the world order; the system now in place being based on the best eight results gained in the immediate preceding 12 month period, as opposed to the previous system when wins and losses against adversaries were the basis calculator.
No other incumbent can match that record; colleague Timo Boll appears at no.3 behind China’s Fan Zhendong but other notable names, who like Timo Boll have ascended to the top spot during their illustrious careers, the new listings do not make the most pleasant reading.
China’s Xu Xin is at no.5; colleague Ma Long, the reigning Olympic Games and World champion is at no.7, whilst Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus stands at no.25.
Most significantly, Zhang Jike, also from China and like Ma Long, the winner of the most prestigious titles on planet earth, occupies the no.54 spot.
Notably, Jun Mizutani, in recent times, the highest rated Japanese player on the Men’s World Rankings is now at no.13; the leading names from the Land of the Rising Sun being Koki Niwa at no.6, Kenta Matsudaira at no.10 and Tomokazu Harimoto, one place lower.
Similarly, Sharath Kamal Achanta is no longer the top listed player from India; he appears at no.51, three places behind Sathiyan Gnanasekaran at no.48.
Progress for South Asia but if any part of the world has reason to rejoice it is Africa; two players from that continent in the top 20 for the first time ever. Egypt’s Omar Assar is at no.16, Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna at no.20.
Meanwhile, on the Under 21 Men’s World Rankings, organised in a similar manner to that of the Men’s listings but with best six performances as opposed to the best eight in the last 12 months being taken into consideration and only in the age group, Japan is very much in evidence.
Mizuki Oikawa occupies top spot with colleague Yuto Kizukuri in the no.3 position; sandwiched in between is Korea’s Cho Seungmin.
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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