The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abayomi Animasahun

  • We missed examinations for aborted Tunis trip, players lament

    We missed examinations for aborted Tunis trip, players lament

    Facts emerged yesterday that three of the 10-man team that missed the 2017 ITTF African Junior Championships holding in Tunis had to skip examinations to be part of the training in readiness for the tournament.

    The team was supposed to travel last week for the championship which serves as qualifiers for the ITTF World Junior Championship and World Cadet Challenge but the inability of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to make fund available prevented them from being part of the championship.

    NationSport learnt that the trio of Taiwo Matti, Iyanuoluwa Falana and Rofiat Jimoh were supposed to seat for the end of the term examination in Ondo and Kwara but had to skip to be part of the final training camp in Lagos but with their inability to be part of the Tunisia tournament, the players cried profusely when they were decamped at the weekend.

    One of the members of the team, Abayomi Animasahun told NationSport that aside the psychological breakdown suffered by the players, the players also suffered academics setback after missing the second term examinations.

    “I think the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) really tried for us by preparing us for the championship with all our equipment and kits provided while we were in camp and they were only waiting for the ministry to provide the logistics for the trip. Unfortunately, we were only told that the trip would not be possible on Friday after several attempts to secure flight tickets for the team failed,” he said.

     

    Animasahun, who was pained by the development, however, said that this would prevent them from competing internationally this year. “We would not be playing any international competitions this year because attending the tournament would have afforded us the opportunity to qualify for the World Junior Championship while I was also looking forward to make the African team for the World Cadet Challenge after I narrowly missed out last year in Algiers,” the teenager sensation lamented.

  • Oribamise, Solanke to lead Nigeria to ITTF African Juniors

    Oribamise, Solanke to lead Nigeria to ITTF African Juniors

    Junior sensations – Tosin Esther Oribamise and Azeez Solanke will lead a 10-man Nigerian contingent to the 2017 ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championships holding in Tunis on April 9 to 15.

    In the list made available to NationSport, the team includes five debutants who will compete in the cadet event of the championship.

    The debutants are Jamiu Ayanwale and Taiwo Mati (boys) as well as Rafiat Jimoh, Sukurat Aiyelabegan and Iyanuoluwa Falana (girls).

    2016 bronze medallist – Azeez Solanke will lead the boys team alongside Amadi Umeh and Abayomi Animasahun.

    According to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), the selection of the team was based on the players’ past and present records as well as several trials organised by the federation particularly the just concluded Olufunke Oshonaike Top 16 Championship held in Lagos.

    However, some of the debutants are still in cloud nine after realising that they will be jetting out of Nigeria for the first time in their lives. They are eagerly looking forward to the competition which they hope to use to prove their mettle. The continental championship serves as qualifiers for the World Junior Championship in Italy later in the year, while it will also be used to select the African team for the World Cadet Challenge.

    The Nigerian team is expected to compete in the team, doubles, mixed doubles and singles events of cadet, junior and U-21.

    For the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) qualifiers, Solanke and Oribamise will represent Nigeria in the event on April 16 to 17 at same venue in Tunis.

    In a statement signed by the President of ITTF Africa, Khaled El-Salhy, every country is expected to present a boy and a girl for the YOG qualifiers with the finalists qualifying automatically for the games in Argentina come 2018. “Africa has made it to the podium at YOG in Singapore 2010 and this time around we are hoping that we can get players and teams that will also return to the podium in 2018. For the qualifiers, the players will be drawn into groups in the first round with the top two players advancing to the second round of knockout. The finalists in the boys and girls event will automatically qualify for YOG,” he said.

  • ITTF world juniors: NTTF to unveil team this week

    ITTF world juniors: NTTF to unveil team this week

    The team that will represent Nigeria at the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championship in South Africa will be unveiled after days of rigorous training cum trails expected to be concluded this week.

    The 18 players in camp are expected to fight for shirts in the ten-man team that will fly the country’s flag at the global tournament.

    According to the coordinator of the camping exercise, Segun Toriola, the players have continued to give their best in order to be part of the team, adding that the final list would be made known this week.

    “There is no doubt that the players are eager to be part of the team to the tournament in South Africa and I am really impressed with the performance of the players in camp and I am hoping that we will select the best for the country. However, we will organise trial for them to pick the best hands and this will be our yardstick to name the team,” he said.

    However, some of the players in camp include Amadi Umeh, Abayomi Animasahun and Azeez Solanke, believe they cannot afford to miss their places in the team having been part of the team to Algiers where the team picked a spot to the global tournament.

    The invited players were part of the team that featured at the ITTF African Junior Championship in Algiers where they qualified for the World Juniors, while outstanding players from the National U-16 tournament also made it to the camp.

    For the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, the camp becomes necessary as some of the players would tutor on the latest rudiment of the sport. “The selected players will later go into close camping before the championship in November and they will continue to train in readiness for the competition. Segun Toriola will surely depart to his base after the camping and we hope the coaches around can continue to sharpen the skills of the players before the tournament which has Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and Tunisia representing Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.”

  • ITTF World Juniors: Fight for shirts hots up

    ITTF World Juniors: Fight for shirts hots up

    The fight for places in the Team Nigeria contingent to the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championship in South Africa hots up at the National Training Centre of Lagos National Stadium.

    According to the coordinator of the camping exercise, Segun Toriola, the players are given their best in order to be part of the team, adding that the final list would be made known by next week.

    “I am impressed with the response of the players because every one of them wants to make the team to South Africa. For now we will still be watching them because we intend to organise a trial where the best will be selected for the world championship in Cape Town, South Africa by end of the year,” he said.

    However, the duo of Abayomi Animasahun and Azeez Solanke believe they would make the team having been part of the team to Algiers where the team picked a spot to the global tournament.

    The invited players were part of the team that featured at the ITTF African Junior Championship in Algiers where they qualified for the World Juniors, while outstanding players from the National U-16 tournament also made it to the camp.

    For the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, the camp becomes necessary as some of the players would tutor on the latest rudiment of the sport. “The selected players will later go into close camping before the championship in November and they will continue to train in readiness for the competition. Segun Toriola will surely depart to his base after the camping and we hope the coaches around can continue to sharpen the skills of the players before the tournament which has Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and Tunisia representing Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.”

    NTTF will cater for the players’ feeding and accommodation while their states are expected to offset their transport fare.

  • Olympics: NTTF plans celebration for legend Toriola

    Olympics: NTTF plans celebration for legend Toriola

    • Calls up 20 for World Juniors in South Africa

    To follow the footsteps of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is planning a befitting celebration for the first African to attend seven Olympic Games, Segun Toriola.

    According to the President of NTTF, Wahid Oshodi, it behooves on the federation to honour Toriola for his giant stride in the sport while there are plans to recommend the former African champion and others for national honours.

    “The NTTF will definitely be celebrating the Legend with a series of activities in Nigeria. His achievements are so inspiring that we must find a way to say thank you to this great talented patriotic Nigerian. The IOC, the ITTF and the ATTF have led the way and we surely will ensure that we give him a befitting award. We are also hopeful that the Ministry of Youth and Sports will join us in this laudable quest. This will be done at a time to fit into his busy schedule.”

    He added: “We shall also be making a fervent case for athletes like Toriola, Funke Oshonaike Bose Kaffo and Babatunde Obisanya  alongside other remarkable athletes outside football and athletics be recognized when national honours are being awarded.”

    Meanwhile, the federation is poised to build on the performance at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as it has called up 20 players made up of 12 boys and eight girls for this year’s World Junior Championship holding later in the year in Cape Town, South Africa. The camping begins on Monday, August 23 to September 3 at the National Training Centre of Lagos National Stadium.

    Teenage sensations – Abayomi Animasahun and Tosin Oribamise top the list of invited players. Others are Azeez Solanke, Amadi Umeh, Michael Abayomi, Augustine Emmanuel, Jamiu Ayanwale, Ololade Oyenekan, Tobi Falana, Etim Orok, Babafemi Babatunde and Umar Ibrahim made up the boys’ list, while the girls are – Agnes Onoja, Ajoke Ojomu, Alimot Ayinla, Rofiat Jimoh and Sukurat Aiyelabegan.

    The NTTF further said: “On his return to Nigeria from Rio, Toriola will lead a two week training session for the 20 junior players invited to camp for selecting the team that will represent Nigeria at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships holding in Cape Town, South Africa in November/December this year.”