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Tag: Bose Odusanya

  • Dominant Odusanya, Kuti rule Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Tourney

    Dominant Odusanya, Kuti rule Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Tourney

    Bose Odusanya continues her record-setting streak at the annual Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, securing her 10th  consecutive Women’s Singles title at the 56th  edition of Africa’s longest-running table tennis tournament over the weekend in Lagos.

    National champion Matthew Kuti also maintained his unbeaten run, winning his first senior Men’s Singles title at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Kwara’s Abbulbasit Abdulfatai.

    Despite being seeded fourth, Odusanya  bulldozed  her way into the final, where she defeated Amina Fashola of NSCDC 4-1 (8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8), becoming the first player in the competition’s history to claim 10 consecutive titles.

    Kuti, the top seed in the Men’s Singles, entertained dignitaries, including Ogun State First Lady Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun and former Kwara State First Lady Mrs. Oluwatoyin Saraki , along with the home fans.

    He confidently claimed his first senior title at the tournament. Despite losing the first game 7-11, Kuti rallied back to stun his left-handed opponent with a commanding 4-1 (7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9) win, emerging as the new Men’s Singles champion.

    A delighted Odusanya described this year’s win as the toughest, noting it was the first time the tournament was played as a national event. She commended her opponent for putting up a good fight in the entertaining final.

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    For Kuti, winning the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup title adds to his numerous titles in the country. He also praised the family of the tournament’s initiator for making it a national event.

    In the U-15 finals, Usman Ayoola of Oyo State and Chinenye Okafor claimed the boys’ and girls’ titles. Ayoola defeated his Oyo State counterpart Ahmed Ayatullahi 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 12-10) to lift the boys’ title, while Abia’s Okafor, who was on the brink of defeat after taking a 2-0 lead, calmly claimed another national victory with a 3-2 (11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 3-11, 11-8) win to be crowned the girls’ U-15 champion.

    In her remarks, Ogun State’s  First Lady, Mrs. Abiodun, lauded the family of the late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas for their dedication to the annual event, particularly for making it a national event. She also envisioned the tournament going international, given its status as Africa’s longest-running table tennis tournament.

    Deji Okoya-Thomas promised to continue improving the quality of the tournament, encouraged by the turnout and quality of play in its first year as a national event.

  • Odusanya talks tough as 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis serves off

    Odusanya talks tough as 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis serves off

    Women’s singles defending champion, Bose Odusanya is not perturbed by the bigger challenge she would be facing as the longest-running table tennis contest Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Championship goes national.

    The tournament serves off at Teslim Balogun Stadium Monday.

    The tournament’s record holder with nine consecutive victories said she is ready to defend her title is aiming to erase her own record with her unbeaten record in the competition.

    “It is not a challenge because this is not the first time I will be playing at the national level. I’ve played in many national competitions and the National Sports Festival. I have played in finals a couple of times and these are the same players that will be coming to Lagos.

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    “I’m not afraid. I’ve been working hard and we know ourselves. Even in Lagos we have many good players that you cannot underrate. I’m not taking any player for granted. I’m ready and my target is the final.”

    In the same vein, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, praised the sponsor while pledging the government’s commitment to supporting grassroots sports development.

    “These are the kind of championships that we want to align with, work with because they provide the pathway for talent identification and motivation for the young ones to participate and move forward,” he said.

    The tournament is expected to feature 13 events, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles, para, deaf, and veteran categories.

  • 48th Asoju Oba Molade-Okoya Thomas Cup: Odusanya retains title as Akanbi wins men’s singles

    48th Asoju Oba Molade-Okoya Thomas Cup: Odusanya retains title as Akanbi wins men’s singles

    From the start of the 48th Asoju Oba Molade-Okoya Thomas Cup, Bose Odusanya never bragged about her prowess. While most of her fellow competitors mouthed off their intention, it was Odusanya that laughed last at the weekend after the grand-finale of the oldest sporting tournament in Nigeria.
    Just like her rival – Tolu Durosimi-Etti who won the championship back-to-back in 2012 and 2013, Odusanya also claimed the title twice in a row after beating Fatimo Bello 4-2 in the women’s singles final, while junior sensation, Rilwan Akanbi won his first major championship in the men’s singles.
    Unlike Odusanya who never had any problem defeating her opponent in the final but Akanbi was stretched to the limit by Azeez Solanke in the men’s singles final.
    Akanbi and Solanke are part of Team Nigeria heading out to South Africa for the ITTF World Junior Championship, which serves off on Wednesday November 30 in Cape Town and they both stunned their senior counterparts to set up a final encounter.
    The match bore all the signs of a final and the fans and dignitaries had something to cheer throughout the encounter but it was Akanbi who emerged champion after a 4-3 win over southpaw Solanke.
    Akanbi said: “I’m very happy to win this tournament because for me, playing against Azeez Solanke was really a challenge. We are both junior players and just been promoted to play at the senior level. Before the match, I know it will be a 50-50 game because we have played some matches at the junior category and he is a very good player too. The level of competition is very good, every year we play this tournament and there is always improvement.”
    Odusanya said: “I’m very grateful for winning this title back-to-back because before the competition, I trained a lot and I want to thank God for crowning my effort. My final opponent, Fatimo Bello played very well and the game was very tight because we are in the same club. I was very determined but it was God that gave me this victory. I want to thank the family of late Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Thomas for hosting this tournament and I hope they will relent but continue to sponsor it.”

  • 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas ends in style

    48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas ends in style

    As curtain draws on the 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, the annual championship will end in grand style as new champions are expected to emerge in 18 categories.
    For five days, the players across Lagos State have been battling one another in order to be part of the mouthwatering prize money at stake.
    From the cadet to junior players, the venues are daily besieged by players drawn from schools and clubs aiming to make the podium at the championship.
    One of the two Nigeria’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-certified umpires, John Peters described the turnout for this year’s championship as very encouraging, as more players are eager to emulate the exploits of Aruna Quadri and Segun Toriola.
    Peters, who was one of the umpires that handled proceedings at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil told NationSport that the performance of Aruna Quadri in Rio had sparked interest in the sport.
      “I must tell that since I have been officiating this competition in the last four decades, this year’s turnout had been quite impressive particularly in the cadet division. We have more schools and clubs competing in the competition, while the senior players were not left out of the championship. I must say that the performance of Aruna Quadri in Brazil has ignited the interest of the players and we have more of them trying to emulate Quadri. This is good for the sport and we hope we can discover more ‘Quadris’ from this championship,” Peters said.
    Meanwhile, the final of the men and women singles events will be the climax of today’s event as new winners are expected to emerge.

  • 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup: Adeyinka, Odusanya, others battle for last four in singles

    48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup: Adeyinka, Odusanya, others battle for last four in singles

    Defending champions – Ahmed Adeyinka and Bose Odusanya will face the biggest test of their careers as they battle others in the race for the top spot at the 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup.
    With the men competing in the last 16, the women will be hoping for places in the last four, as Adeyinka will confront giant-killer, Dayo Adenugba, while Odusanya will square up against Taiwo Williams.
    In the pairing for the women’s singles quarter-final, junior international, Alimot Ayinla will take one Policewoman, Funke Hassan, Fatimo Bello will face Nimota Aregbesola, while Modinat Yusuf will battle Tolu Durosimi-Etti.
    For the men’s singles, Nurudeen Hassan will take on Isiaka Seriki, Joseph Osendukwu battles David Fayele, while Rogba Olawoyin clashes against Rilwan Akanbi.
    Seun Adeleye will take on Monsuru Kazeem, Samson Agbaje faces Olakunle Ajulo, while Bolaji Asekun will keep a date against 2015 finalist – Ayo Omotara.
    However, 2012 and 2013 women singles champion, Durosimi-Etti believes she is poised to reclaim the title she lost to Odusanya in 2015.
    “I am well prepared for this championship having taken part in the just concluded NTTF National Championships. For me, I am confident that nothing can stop me from reclaiming the title this year based on my current form coupled with my warm-up with the national tournament. I am not going to rule out the fact that it is not going to be easy but I am up to the task to prove myself again this year and I look forward to making it to the final on Friday,” she said.
    Like Durosimi-Etti, Policewoman Hassan believes she can break the jinx of her losing in the final this year. “This year I don’t want to make any mistake having played in series of final and also making it to the last four at the just concluded NTTF National Championship, I am indeed in a good frame of mind to win the title this year,” Hassan vowed.

  • Adeyinka vows to retain ‘Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas’ title

    Adeyinka vows to retain ‘Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas’ title

    Men’s singles defending champion, Ahmed Adeyinka believes nothing can prevent him from holding onto the title he had held for two years, at the 48th annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup, holding at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
    Adeyinka, a member of the Lagos gold medal-winning team at the 2012 National Sports Festival told NationSport that his participation in the just concluded NTTF National Championship has put him in a good frame for the tournament.
    “I think I can retain the title again this year because I don’t see anybody stopping me from retaining the title. I had won it in 2014 and 2015 and for me this year will not be an exception. But I must also admit that I won’t play to the gallery because there are several good players that will be aiming for the title as well. I am hoping that I can also inscribe my name in the annals of the competition’s history. It was out former coach that is still holding the record as the most successful player in the competition and I hope I can also meet up with his feat. There is no doubt that the NTTF National Championships has prepared most of the players for the championship,” Adeyinka vowed.
    As the men and women singles event will begin, the cadet and junior events enters crucial stage and the tournament grand finale holds on Friday November 25.
    Since 1968, the tournament has been staged for 48 years uninterrupted and it remains the longest running competition which has also produced some of the great stars for the continent. The likes of Atanda Musa, late Yomi Bankole, Bose Kaffo and current African women singles champion, Olufunke Oshonaike were former champions of the tournament which started in 1968.

  • 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup: Adeyinka, Odusanya begin title defence in Lagos

    48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup: Adeyinka, Odusanya begin title defence in Lagos

    Defending champions, Ahmed Adeyinka and Bose Odusanya, will today begin their title defence as the 48th annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup serves off at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
    Adeyinka and Odusanya who failed to make any impact at the just concluded NTTF National Championship, will be relying on their experience against some young players who will be competing at the five-day championship.
    18 titles will be at stake at the championship which has continued to become a breeding ground for most national players.
    For this year, the women singles title has been renamed Lady Olivet Okoya-Thomas Women’s trophy after the late wife of the initiator of the competition.
    Speaking recently at the briefing to unveil package for this year’s tournament, Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas said: “This of course will be the second, after 46 years, that is not being addressed by the initiator and sole sponsor of the tournament, Sir Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas. One of his greatest wish while alive was that the family should continue the sponsorship of the tournament after his demise; we would therefore like to give God all the glory for giving the grace to continue this noble legacy for the second year running, since he was called to glory.
    He added: “From this year the women’s singles trophy is now renamed ‘Lady Olivet Okoya-Thomas’ women’s trophy in honour of our late mother, lady Chief (Mrs) Olivet Abosede Okoya-Thomas who was a pillar of support to our late father, the visioner and sole sponsor of the championship,” he said.
    The tournament grand finale holds on Friday November 25.
    Since 1968, the tournament had been staged for 48 years uninterrupted and it remains the longest running competition which has also produced some of the great stars for the continent. The likes of Atanda Musa, late Yomi Bankole, Bose Kaffo and current African women singles champion, Olufunke Oshonaike were former champions of the tournament which started in 1968.