Olympics
NIGERIA SHIFTS ATTENTION TO TUNISIA FOR TOKYO 2020 TABLE TENNIS QUALIFICATION
When its maiden attempt at qualifying for table tennis team event of the Olympic Games failed to materialise in Portugal, Team Nigeria has shifted attention to the African Olympic Qualifying Tournament holding next month in Tunis, Tunisia.
Being the final qualifying window for African teams and players to compete at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the 54 members of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) excluding Egypt will converge in Tunis from February 27 to 29 for the qualifying tournament in singles and mixed doubles events.
After losing the sole continental slot to Egypt at the 2019 African Games, Nigeria for the first time competed at the World Team Qualifying Tournament in Gondomar, Portugal, but the team narrowly lost to Poland in the second round of the tournament to miss out leaving Egypt as the only African team competing in the team event of Tokyo 2020.
According to the prospectus of the tournament in Tunisia, two players each in men and women from each African Association apart from Egypt, are expected to compete in the singles while one pair from each country including Egypt will compete for the continent’s sole slot in mixed doubles event.
The top four (semifinalists) players in singles (men and women) will qualify for Tokyo 2020, while the winner in the mixed doubles event will pick the African sole slot for Tokyo 2020. Each country cannot qualify more than two players in singles (men and women).
For the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon, the performance of the players in Portugal should be commended being the first time Nigeria would be making attempt at qualifying from the world event.
He however, expressed confidence that Nigeria still has the chance to pick the tickets in singles and mixed doubles event in Tunisia.
Tikon said: “I must commend the players for their commitment particularly with their display against the Polish team in Portugal.
Having come back from 2-0 down to level up the match at 2-2 showed that we are not push over and we gave a good account of ourselves against the world best.
But that is not the end of the journey for us as we have another opportunity at the African qualifiers in Tunisia next month. I am personally confident that we can make it to Tokyo from there.
“I am also using this opportunity to commend the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports particularly the Minister, Sunday Dare for his support since assumption of office and I want to assure him that we will not disappoint in Tunisia as we are hoping for more of their support in our qualification journey to Tokyo 2020,” the NTTF boss said.
Also in an effort to give teams across the globe the chance to be part of the table tennis event in Tokyo, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) will be organising the final qualifying championship tagged World Singles Qualification Tournament holding in Doha, Qatar on May 28 to 31.
Olympics
Olympic rings removed from Eiffel Tower
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Olympics
Paris 2024 Games break record ticket sales
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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