The Nation Newspaper

Tag: International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)

  • Rio Wrap Up: ITTF recognizes Aruna Quadri’s rare feat

    Rio Wrap Up: ITTF recognizes Aruna Quadri’s rare feat

    Prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Aruna Quadri was never considered a potential star in the table tennis event but the Nigerian stunned the world with his excellent outing against the world’s best in Brazil.

    His performance remains one of the major high points of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games according to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

    In the Rio 2016 Wrap Up published at the weekend on the website of the world table tennis ruling body, Aruna was described as the Africa star of Rio.

    “The Men’s Singles event also featured fantastic performances from two players in particular: Hugo Calderano and Quadri Aruna. Calderano made full use of the home crowd advantage as the Brazilian negotiated the likes of Par Gerell and Tang Peng on his way to a round four finish,” ITTF said.

    The body added: “Nigerian contestant Aruna Quadri caused arguably the biggest upsets in the category as the 27th seed beat Chuang Chih-Yuan (6th) and Timo Boll (10th) before eventually exiting to Ma Long in the last eight – becoming the first African to reach that stage of an Olympic Table Tennis competition.”

    Quoting Quadri after the feat, “This is amazing, I don’t know what to say. My fans made me do this. Thank you for all the Brazilian spectators for their support. They gave me so much energy. This feels so good, it is a dream come true.”

    Also, the Women’s Singles tournament at Rio 2016 saw China’s Ding Ning win her first ever Olympic singles gold medal, after her victory over the London 2012 champion Li Xiaoxia (China). Both finalists brought their ‘A’ game as two of the world’s top competitors fought it out for the ultimate prize, but there could only be one winner and it was Ding who took it in the seventh game to seal the gold (11-9, 5-11, 14-12, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7).

    Sadly, Li Xiaoxia confirmed that Rio 2016 would be her final appearance for China, “It’s with pity to retire, but it’s for a better future.” Li added, “Life can’t be always sweet, and I’ll face my retirement with a smile. Thank you table tennis for everything that the sport has gave me.”

    Ma Long stood victorious over fellow compatriot Zhang Jike in the Men’s Singles final, as China won their second Table Tennis gold medal of the Games.

    With the top two seeds going head-to-head there was potential for a thrilling final, however, after edging the first end in deuce, Ma thundered past Zhang in the following three games to win the gold medal on his Olympic singles debut (14-12, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4).

    Jun Mizutani played some of the best Table Tennis of his career at Rio 2016, and he did his country proud by becoming the first Japanese competitor to win a singles medal at an Olympic Games with his victory against Belarusian Vladimir Samsonov in the bronze medal match.

    Two major achievements came from the Women’s Team category, as Germany won silver and Mima Ito won a team bronze with Japan.

    Germany’s silver is the first medal of any colour to be won by a European country in the Women’s Team competition, while Japanese teenager Mima Ito became the youngest competitor to win an Olympic Table Tennis medal aged 15 years and 300 days exactly.

     

     

  • ITTF World: Animasahun, Oribamise lead others tocamp

    ITTF World: Animasahun, Oribamise lead others tocamp

    National junior sensations – Abayomi Animasahun and Tosin Oribamise will lead 18 others to the National Training Centre of the Lagos National Stadium for the camping ahead of the International Table Tennis Federation {ITTF} World Junior Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Under the tutelage of seven-time Olympian, Segun Toriola, the players will be groomed in readiness for the world championship while the 10-man team will also be selected at the end of the camping on September 3.

    Some of 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.

    According to the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, the camping is necessary as some of the players would gain from the experience of Toriola, who has been celebrated globally for his consistency and discipline in the sport.

    “We are blessed with talents just like Aruna Quadri and we don’t want to lose the momentum by ensuring that we come through with our programmes. This camping becomes necessary as we want to select the best hands among the junior players so that they can also test might with their foreign counterparts at the world juniors. With the experience of Toriola and Michael Oyebode, who were both in Rio Olympic Games, I am confident that camping would have impart on the players and prepare them for the championship,” Oshodi said.

    He added: “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. 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.”

    The invited players are Abayomi Animasahun, Azeez Solanke, Amadi Umeh, Michael Abayomi, Augustine Emmanuel, Jamiu Ayanwale, Ololade Oyenekan, Tobi Falana, Etim Orok, Babafemi Babatunde and Umar Ibrahim for boys and the girls include Tosin Oribamise Agnes Onoja, Ajoke Ojomu, Alimot Ayinla, Rofiat Jimoh, Iyanuoluwa Falana, Vivian Akpan and Sukurat Aiyelabegan.

    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 SA

    To follow the footsteps of International Olympic Committee (IOC) and 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.”

     

  • 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.”

  • Toriola gets ITTF recognition for Olympics feat

    Toriola gets ITTF recognition for Olympics feat

    Just like the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the sole custodian of table tennis globally, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has recognised the feat set by one of Africa’s most decorated athletes, Segun Toriola as the world table tennis ruling body identified with the record to be set by the former African champion at Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.

    In the media guide released by ITTF, Toriola’s feat was listed on page 15 stating, “Nigeria’s Segun Toriola will be playing his seventh Olympic Games in Rio, which is the most of any African athlete from any Olympic sport.”

    “Sweden’s Jorgen Persson, Croatia’s Zoran Primorac and Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive have played in 7 Olympic Games, most of any table tennis player. Nigeria’s Segun Toriola will join them, as he plays his 7th Olympic in Rio,” it stated.

    The best African performer at the Olympic Games is Segun Toriola whose outing at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in China became the reference globally. Toriola’s biggest achievement at the Olympic Games has been reaching the Men’s Singles 1/16 final at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, beating amongst others former world number 1 Jean-Michel Saive as well as David Zhuang. His 1/32 match-up with Jean-Michel Saive was seen by many as one of the highlights of the Men’s Singles Tournament. He narrowly lost 4-3 to heavily favoured Oh Sang-Eun in the 1/16 final.

    From record of table tennis at the Olympic Games, no African player or team has won medal but Nigeria is among the 15 countries that have featured in the table tennis event of the Olympic Games since 1988 when table tennis became a medal hauling event at the Olympic Games. Others are Sweden,Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Japan, Korea Republic, Poland and the United States.

    Among the six countries that have always have both male and female representation in the table tennis event of the Olympic Games, Nigeria made the list while others are Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea Republic and the United States..

  • Olympics: Table tennis team won’t disappoint Nigerians – Abiodun

    Olympics: Table tennis team won’t disappoint Nigerians – Abiodun

  • Rio 2016 Olympic Games: Abiodun confirms as Team Nigeria member

    Rio 2016 Olympic Games: Abiodun confirms as Team Nigeria member

    The dream of Bode Abiodun of making his debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has become a reality as the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Tuesday confirmed the Portugal-based star as the third member of Nigeria men’s team.

    Abiodun, a quarterfinalist at the ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open is the third highest ranked Nigerian in the world while his performance at the last World Championship in Malaysia shot him up the ranking.

    In the list of 16 countries expected to compete in the men’s team event of the Rio Olympic Games, Nigeria as Africa’s flag bearer beat Egypt to the slot after its performance at the World Team Championship.

    An elated Abiodun told NationSport recently that he was happy making the list while hoping that the team can spring surprise in Brazil.

    “I am so excited making the team and for me it was a dream come true for me playing at the Olympic Games. I hope the new system will aid the team to cause upset in Brazil. I hope to give my best and believing that Nigeria will cause a major scare against some of the top teams in Rio,” Abiodun said.

      Meanwhile, ITTF-Latin American Cup, Hugo Calderano will lead Brazil against an Olympic Legends Team, as a curtain raiser for the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He will line up alongside Gustavo Tsuboi and Cazuo Matsumoto against the trio comprising Wang Liqin, Jörgen Persson and Jean-Michel Saive.

  • Quadri to lose points in latest ITTF World Rating

    Quadri to lose points in latest ITTF World Rating

    With a few days to the release of the latest world ranking by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), there are indications that Aruna Quadri may drop points.

    The number seeded men’s single for the 2016 ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open will have 25 points deducted from his points having been registered for the tournament before the final draw on May 17.

    In May, Quadri who has not been active in the last two months dropped from 29 to 32 and with this development, he might be dropping down the ladder for his absence at the ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open.

    However, the 2014 ITTF Star player has pleaded with his fans over his absence in Lagos. “I am using this medium to appeal to all my fans and particularly the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and its President, Wahid Oshodi for my inability to feature in this year’s Nigeria Open. My mind was with the tournament throughout, but my club needed me as we were on the verge of going into relegation. We were four players in the team and one of my teammates was injured and for us to play in any league match we have to be a three-man team and this was what prevented me from coming to Lagos,” he said.

    “But despite this, I want to promise my fans that I will continue to represent my country and make my nation proud. I have started my personal preparation for the Olympics and I hope I can repay their trust with good performance at the Rio Olympic Games in Brazil,” he added.

  • Tennis: Nigeria beats Egypt to Africa’s sole slot of Rio Olympics

    Tennis: Nigeria beats Egypt to Africa’s sole slot of Rio Olympics

    With the recent ranking released by the world table tennis ruling body, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Thursday, Team Nigeria have secured the continental sole slot of the men’s team event of Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

    For this, Nigeria will be part of the 16 countries that will compete for medals in the team event of the Olympic Games as the highest rated team from Africa.

    This development was confirmed based on the May ranking released by the world table tennis ruling body, the ITTF on Thursday with Nigeria’s men being the highest rated team from Africa to beat Egypt to the sole slot.

    According to qualification format, the May 2016 Olympic Team Ranking list is taken into consideration for the team selections at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

    And from the rating released in May 2016, Nigeria may have dropped to 27 in the world based on the inactiveness of its players, but the team was ahead of Egypt who was ranked 32.

    Despite dropping from 26 to 27 with 202 points, the West African giant beat Egypt, which has 192 to the sole slot for the continent.

    With this, Nigeria will represent Africa in the men’s team event of the Rio Olympic Games and will compete for medals with 15 other teams from the globe.

    However, Egypt beat Nigeria to the sole slot in the women’s team event as the best rated team from the continent occupying 31st place in the world with Nigeria rated 39th.

    For the second time, Egypt has edged out Nigeria from the women team event of the Olympics after their maiden appearance in the team event of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

    Meanwhile, the President of Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy confirmed this development, but said that ITTF would officially announce the list of qualified teams in few days.

    ITTF has not announced the list of qualified teams yet but I believe that it should be done within the coming 48 hours, but according to the rules for Olympic Games – Team events, each continent is entitled for at least one entry for team event. For Africa Men’s Team : it will be Nigeria as per position (27) compared with the other African teams, Egypt (32) & Congo Brazzaville (35), while for the Women’s Team: it will be Egypt as per position (31) compared with the other Africa teams, Nigeria (39) & Algeria (66).”

    He added: “This is my expectation, and I wish on behalf of ATTF the best of luck for both teams of Nigeria & Egypt to be the perfect ambassadors for our continent in Rio Olympic Games and to qualify for the top eight teams (quarter-finalists).

  • Tennis: Team Nigeria knows olympics fate next week

    The fate of Team Nigeria to win the continent’s sole slot in the men’s table tennis team event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be decided next week after the May 2016 ranking is released by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

    After its excellent performance at the World Team Championship in Malaysia, Team Nigeria has edged out Egypt from the slot to be listed as the highest rated men’s team from Africa.

    According to the Olympics qualification system issued by ITTF, One (1) team from each continent (6 teams) will be selected as follows: “For each continent, the highest ranked team in the May 2016 ITTF Olympic Team Ranking list, which has an NOC and a total of two (2) athletes qualified through any of the Olympic qualification methods, will receive one (1) additional athlete quota place from the Team Quota (22 places in total) to form a team of three (3) athletes.”

    It added: “In the event that, within a given continent no NOC has qualified two athletes, then the highest ranked team, based on the May 2016 ITTF Olympic Team Ranking list, with one single athlete qualified through any of the Olympic qualification methods will receive two additional athlete quota places from the Team Quota to form a team of three athletes. If the jurisdiction of an NOC covers more than one (1) ITTF affiliated member, the ranking of the highest ranked affiliated member of that NOC in the May 2016 ITTF Olympic Team Ranking list will be taken into account for qualification purposes.

    In the Olympic team ranking released in April, Nigeria occupied 26th place to be the best rated men’s team from Africa, while Egypt was second placing 32nd in the rating.

    At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Egypt beat Nigeria to the slot for the first time as Nigeria has won the slots since 1992 when table tennis became medal hauling event at the Olympic Games.

    However, the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, had told NationSport in Algiers recently that Nigeria may pick the slot ahead of Egypt in the men’s event while Egypt will represent the continent in the women team event.

    “Thus as per the published ITTF ranking list as of April 2016, the current situation now is that for men, Nigeria is in front to take the qualification card for team event in Rio with position no. 26 while Egypt is coming next with position no. 32. For the women, Egypt is in front to take the qualification card for team event in Rio with position no. 31 while Nigeria is coming next with position no. 40. This is for sure in case the application to count on ranking of April 2016, while we have to wait as the ranking list of May is the one to be taken into consideration after adding some more points through Kuwait, Qatar and Polish Opens,” the ATTF boss said.