Table Tennis
NTTF NATIONAL WOMEN SINGLES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUTS IN LAGOS
To raise the standard of female players as well as select standing team for major tournaments, the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organizing the maiden national women singles open championship holding at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
With over N600, 000 stakes as prize money, the two-day tournament is open to players across and outside the country and it expected to hold on June 27 to 29 with players arriving on June 27 while participating players are to have a valid NTTF License.
According to the Secretary General of NTTF, James Eakyns, there has been downward slide in the fortune of female players in the country and this has been reflected in their performance at various tournaments.
“We realized that our female are not doing well in major competitions and their performance have not been impressive in recent times and that is why the board led by its president, Ishaku Tikon decided to stage the tournament so that we can identify some of them we can groom to become world beaters,” he said.
The scribe added that apart from picking the best hands for major competition, the tournament would help in the rating of the players in the country.
For NTTF President, the tournament is part of the federation programme at ensuring that Nigeria continues to be relevant in the continent and the world at large.
“Already several tournaments are lined up for this year and we cannot afford to play second fiddle in such competition and that is why we have decided to focus on the female players so that we can raise their standard in the game.
The first step is to identify the talented ones among them before exposing them to world class coaching and tournaments.
We are expecting players at junior and senior levels to be part of the competition and we will ensure that the identified ones are groomed to become world-beaters just like their male counterparts.
Also in the past, Nigeria used to dominate the female event in Africa but now Egypt and other North African teams are coming up, so there is need to close the gap and that is why this tournament is very important to us,” the NTTF boss added.
The tournament according to NTTF would serve as selection of team for major events while players within and outside Nigeria are expected to be part of the championship.
The winner will cart home N200, 000 while the top 16 players will get be rewarded for their efforts in the competition.
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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