By Olalekan Okusan
Bose Odusanya matched her pre-tournament boast with action as she became the first player to claim the women’s singles in a record of successive six times since the launch of the annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup in 1968.
In the final of the 52nd edition played yesterday at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Odusanya showed her class with a straight 4-0 (11-1, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11)win against youthful Kehinde Oyeniyi.
Meanwhile, a former champion Ahmed Adeyinka reclaimed the men’s singles title again.
With the quarterfinal exit of men’s singles defending champion David Fayele , the coast was seemingly cleared for Adeyinka and he wasted little time to dispatch Augustine Emmanuel .
In less than 30minutes, Adeyinka h defeated Emmanuel 4-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5) to wipe off the tears of losing in the final last year.
Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Director General, Gafar Bolowotan, said the staging of the tournament by the family of late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas was a confirmation of the commitment of the family to grassroots development.
“I am happy that the family decided to stage the tournament this year amidst the COVID-19 and I must also commend the players for conducting themselves throughout the tournament by following the laid-down COVID-19 protocols and that is a confirmation of the state’s commitment to protect the lives of athletes,” he said.
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