The boys and girls have been separated from the men and women at the ongoing Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Championship as some players have been weeded out of the singles event, just as finalists have also emerged in the para event of the competition.
From the main draw, some players have played their last matches in the singles as most of the top players progressed to the second round of the event with two Paralympians battling for the title in the men’s class 6-10 of the para event.
Already the champions in the team event of junior and senior have emerged with G20 of Abuja dominating the men’s team event after thrashing Ojez 3-0 in the final, while in the junior event, G20 claimed the title in the girls division while the pairing of Azeez Solanke and Tobi Falana pummeled Ondo team in the boys final.
However, the para event lived up to its billing as Rio 2016 Paralympians – Ahmed Koleosho and Chinedu Nick as well as Atlanta 1996 Paralympian, Nosiru sule also made it to the last four.
Knowing what was at stake in the semi-final against his supposedly coach, Ahmed Koleosho could not overcome Nosiru Sule in the semi-final despite playing an entertaining match. Koleosho succumbed to the experience of Sule with a 0-4 defeat, while his teammate at Rio, Chinedu Nick proved his worth with a 4-0 bashing of his opponent in the semi-final.
The battle for the title will not be between Sule and Nick as both players aim for the top ranking in the country.
A confident Nick told NationSport that he was sure of claiming the title having come all the way from the Eastern part of the country to lay claim to the title. “I know it is going to be difficult because he (Sule) is an experienced player and he has also been assisting us technically. But in the final, I will not look at his records as table tennis is unpredictable. My target is to just leave Lagos with the title,” Nick said.
NTTF National Championships: Tournament enters crucial stage
