Top seeds table tennis players; Muiz Adegoke and Bose Odusanya have qualified into the knockout stages of the 55th edition of Nigeria’s oldest sports competition, Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup.
The oldest sports competition boasts of its pedigree on Monday as table tennis players came to display their artistries during the preliminary rounds in both the men’s and women’s singles at the indoor sports hall in Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
In the men’s category, top seed Adegoke who defeated David Faleye in a keenly contested final at the last edition to win his first major title began his title defense while it was a stroll in the park for Odusanya in the women’s category.
Odusanya is the only player who has held the title for eight years consecutively in the women’s category.
Meanwhile, former champions Rilwan Akanbi and David Fayele also progressed to the crucial stage of the competition.
Akanbi who won the tournament in 2021 expressed his eagerness to wrestle the title from Adegoke.
“I know that everybody is eyeing the title this year being a milestone event and I want to reclaim the title I surrendered two years ago.
“There is no doubt that all other players are looking up to us but I am ready to become champion again. Having competed at the 3rd Quadri Aruna tournament and making it to the final in the men’s singles where I narrowly lose the title to Amadi Umeh, it is clear that I am one of the favourites for the title and I am looking forward to competing in the final come Wednesday December 20,” Akanbi vowed
For this year’s tournament, eight events – men’s and women’s singles and doubles as well as para class 1-5 (men and women) and para class 6-10 (men and women) will be competed for at the three-day tournament which serves as trials for the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA) to select their team for the 2024 National Sports Festival.
Meanwhile, the chairman of LSTTA Tunji Lawal has hailed the family of late Molade Okoya-Thomas for deeming it fit to stage the tournament this year amidst the economic challenges ravaging the whole world and Nigeria inclusive.
“I am happy that we have another chance to test the abilities of our players through this tournament and this is a preparatory competition for next year’s quarterly league that will be organised by the association. There is no doubt that some players are coming through the ranks and we hope we can identify more young players from this kind of competition,” Lawal said.