Despite dumping his native country – Nigeria to play for his adopted nation – Congo Brazzaville in the last one decade, Saheed Idowu still believes Aruna Quadri and his arch-rival – Egypt’s Omar Assar are favourites for the title at the ITTF Africa Top 16 Cup.
Idowu, who edged out Seun Ajetunmobi in the round of 16 of the 2015 African Games told Sport ingLife from his base in Portugal that he would not mind halting the ‘status quo’ in Khartoum.
“Everybody is a good player but we have some tougher ones like Aruna Quadri, Egypt’s Omar Assar and El-Sayed Lashin and not forgetting the old warlords, Segun Toriola and Saka Suraju who are very experienced. But I think all of them will see the best of table tennis in Sudan. But on paper and records Quadri and Assar are the title contenders because of their present forms in most of the tournaments they have featured this year. But I am also ready to turn the tide against them,” he added.
For more than nine months in 2015, Idowu spent most of his days in Hubei, China where they (Congo Brazzaville) honed their skills prior to the 2015 African Games.
When the games ended in Brazzaville last September, their months of training paid off as Congo Brazzaville beat Egypt and Nigeria to the overall medals at the multi-sports tournament.
Having played professional in Sweden, Idowu decided to move to Portugal where he now plays for GD Toledos in the Portuguese elite league and few days to the kick off of the 2016 ITTF Africa Top 16 Cup in Sudan, the Nigeria-born Congolese is full of optimistm that the tide will turn to his side this time.
But he is aware of the task ahead of him. “My expectations are to go to Sudan and perform well. But I am totally sure that I will perform well because I have been training in my club for weeks in order to be in top shape for the championship,” he said.
“In Africa, we know ourselves very well and there is no much difference in our style of play. Also table tennis is nobody’s game as it depends on your current form during any competition.”
In readiness for the task awaiting him in Khartoum come February 14 to 15, Idowu said: “Having been selected based on ranking in Africa, I have been tuning up for weeks in my club in Portugal and my teammates have been helpful and I hope this will aid my performance in Sudan.”
