Six of the 15 member countries of the West Africa Region featured at the second ITTF Africa Western Region Championships held in Lagos between November 1 and 4 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium with the host – Nigeria dominating the seven events, reports OLALEKAN OKUSAN.
The second edition of the West Africa Regional Championships witnessed appreciable turnout with six of the 15 member countries competing in seven events even as the host Nigeria again showed its superiority.
At the maiden edition held in Abidjan, the capital of Cote d’Ivoire, two events – Singles (men and women) were competed for with Ivorian Oba Oba Kizito and Fatimo Bello of Nigeria emerging as winners.
But in Lagos, Kizito was edged out in the knockout stage of the competition.
For four days, players from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire competed in the tournament but it was the host Nigeria that clinched all the top medals in both men and women’s singles as well as the doubles (men and women), team (men and women) and mixed doubles events.
From the team event to the doubles event and finally, to the singles event, it was Nigeria all through with Bello retaining her Women’s Singles title while Rilwan Akanbi defeated title favourite Azeez Solanke to the Men’s Singles title.
Bello retained her Women’s Singles title after beating compatriot Aminat Fashola 4-2 in the final.
Also, a new champion emerged in the Men’s Singles after Akanbi dazed tournament’s favourite and his compatriot, Solanke, to become the regional Men’s Singles champion.
Nigeria dominated the four-day event right from the team event with the host claiming the men and women titles.
Nigeria defeated Ghana to clinch the Men’s Doubles title after Amadi Umeh and Orok Etim came from 2-0 down to beat Ghana’s Derek Abrefa and Emmanuel Commey 3-2 (4-11, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7).
The Nigerian duo of Bello and Bose Odusanya won the Women’s Doubles event by beating their compatriots, Hope Uduak and Vivian Oku, 3-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9).
Read Also: ITTF W/Africa Championships: Bello, three other Nigerians for semis
To be crowned champions in the mixed doubles events, Solanke and Fatimo partnered and triumphed over Orok Etim and Vivian Oku with a commanding 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-5) win.
“I believe that with what we have started in the region, we can continue to be competitive in Africa and the world at large,” President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) Ishaku Tikon noted. “The region will not relent in its efforts to produce world champions. There are plans to make the tournament a permanent feature in the ITTF calendar.”
Yet the Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman, Wahid Enitan Oshodi who doubles as the Deputy President of Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), said the region has taken a cue from what ITTF has been doing by staging a competition under strict COVID-19 compliance as laid down by the Lagos State Government.
He said: “We are happy to have staged the second edition under strict COVID-19 protocol s and we are happy that all our participants complied with the laid down rules.
“ No incident was reported and the players and delegates conducted themselves very well during the tournament. We hope and believe other regions in Africa will take a cue from this.
“We thank the Lagos State Government for providing the enabling environment for the tournament to hold and we must also thank our sponsors – Baba Ijebu Bet, Prime Atlantic, and Delanyard for keeping faith with us in this pandemic period,” Oshodi added.
An elated Secretary-General, ITTF Africa Western Region, Germain Karou, observed that the tournament had been a huge success considering the quality of organisation and play during the four-day event.
“I am impressed with what Nigeria has put up, particularly the standard of play from the players,” Karou said .“We hope and believe Nigeria will continue to lead the region so that others can come up and compete favourably with them at continental and global levels.
“We have seen new talents unearthed and we hope that all these talents would be nurtured to become world-beaters.”
Also, Vice President, ITTF Africa Western Region, Ferdinand Sounou, stated that Nigeria has, again, shown its leadership position in Africa by staging the four-day championships with six of the 15 member countries taking part.
Sounou, who is also President of Benin Republic Table Tennis Association, said: “I am happy with the success of the tournament. The warm hospitality of the people of Lagos has added great quality to the tournament. I hope and believe the next host will improve on what Nigeria has done.
“We have also seen talents coming on board here and we hope we can have more of them attaining and exceeding the heights set by Quadri Aruna at the global level.”
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