The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Khaled El-Salhy

  • ITTF: Nigeria beats Tunisia to second spot as Egypt rules

    ITTF: Nigeria beats Tunisia to second spot as Egypt rules

    Despite presenting the lowest number of players coupled with conceding the top place in Egypt, Nigeria’s six-man team finished second in the overall medal table ahead of Tunisia at the 2016 ITTF African Junior & Cadet Championship which ended yesterday in Algiers.

    However, Egypt’s dominance at the seven-day championship was obvious as the 22-man team from Cairo claimed all the 15 gold medals at stake in the competition.

    Being the host – Algeria’s 20-man team failed to finish among the top three teams despite dominating Nigeria in the female event, but the North African managed to settle for fourth place behind Tunisia which finished third with three silver medals.

    To claim the overall second place, Nigeria with the lowest number of players amassed four silver and four bronze medals in the teams and doubles events of the competition.

    Aside finishing second Nigeria boys and girls teams qualified for the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championship in South Africa while Esther Oribamise also made the list of African eight-man team for the 2016 World Cadet Challenge holding in Shanghai, China in October.

    Tunisia has three silver and five bronze medals while Algeria which finished fourth had two silver and five bronze medals.

    Other teams that picked up medals are Congo Brazzaville with two bronze medals while Angola and Mauritius won one bronze medal each.

    Meanwhile, Egypt was adjudged the best teams for sweeping all the gold medals in 15 events contested for at the competition.

    A satisfied President of African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy commended the participating teams while urging the teams that qualified for the World Junior Championship to begin preparation in order to put up a good show in Cape Town come November

  • ITTF ranking: Nigeria displaces Egypt as Africa’s best

    Apart from the individual ranking of Nigerian players that shot up in the latest ITTF ranking, the men’s team has now displaced Egypt as the best team from the continent.

    Prior to the just concluded ITTF World Team Championship in Malaysia, Egypt was rated ahead of Nigeria as the North Africa are 25th in the world while Nigeria was 32. But with the excellent outing of the Segun Toriola-inspired side in Malaysia, the team has now taken over from Egypt. Nigeria is now rated 24 in the world while Egypt occupies 29th place.

    Confirming this to NationSport on Tuesday, President, Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, Nigeria is now in front position to represent Africa in the men’s team event of the Rio Olympic Games.

    “After the conduction for the ITTF ranking list as of March 2016, and as I told you earlier the final position within Perfect 2016 WTTC is not the main factor for selection of the teams to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. It is the singles ranking and its accumulation for Team Olympic Ranking. Thus, as per the published ITTF ranking list as of March 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. 25 while Egypt is coming next with position no. 32,” he said.

    The ATTF boss added: “For 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. 41

    This is for sure in case the application to count on ranking of March 2016, while we have to wait for more two months as the ranking list of May is the one to be taken into consideration after adding some more points through Kuwait, Qatar & Polish Open within the coming 2 months.”

    He however, commended the African teams for putting up a good show in Malaysia. “Egypt and Nigeria in the men’s event did a very good job in the group stage in getting the full mark of all matches, then they didn’t continue on the same level even I see that Africa has the best possible chance this year to upgrade at least one team for the Championships division in Sweden 2018, Nigeria was very close to win India this morning in quarterfinal as they did in the group and in this case we could ensure one team from Africa already upgraded. Also Egypt during semifinal with India were out of form specially Omar Assar and El-Sayed Lashin, may be when they felt so close to qualify for Championship division, they didn’t reach the required optimum level in the last match to decide.”

  • ITTF condoles with Nigeria over Ogunlade’s demise

    ITTF condoles with Nigeria over Ogunlade’s demise

    Executive member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Khaled El-Salhy has condoled with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) over the untimely demise of former junior star, Azeez Ogunlade.

    A saddened, El-Salhy who is also the President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) described the passing on of the player as a big loss to table tennis in Africa.

      “I am so sad for such sudden news, we have really a remarkable player who represented Nigeria and Africa at both cadet and junior levels”, said Khaled El-Salhy. “My deepest condolences on behalf of African Table Tennis Federation Executive Committee are extended to the family of Azeez  Ogunlade family and the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation.

      Like El-Salhy, Vice President of ATTF, Olabanji Oladapo said: “The death of Azeez  Ogunlade came as a rude shock to me in d US where I am currently holidaying. It is very unfortunate that ATTF had to lose such a budding star at a tender age. I commiserate with the President, Secretary-General, entire members of the board of NTTF, players, family and his friends on his demise. May we not witness such sudden death again in the federation.”

    Anan Executive Vice President, Development of ATTF, Farah Hassan Farah said: “This is a heart breaking news! ! It is shocking to hear it. On behalf of Djiboutian federation, tennis table players, and specially my son Abdourazack are join me to present their sincere sympathies to Azeez Family and President Wahid Oshodi.”

    Ogunlade died on Sunday 15th November after a brief illness; he was only 20 years old.

  • ‘Nigeria crucial to rising table tennis profile’

    ‘Nigeria crucial to rising table tennis profile’

    With the stride and performance of its players at global level, Nigeria remains crucial to the rising profile of table tennis in the world and particularly in Africa.

    These were the views of the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, who told NationSport at the just concluded ITTF Africa Senior Cup in Cameroon that in the last three years, Nigeria has indeed helped to raise the profile of the sport in Africa with the staging of the Lagos Classics in 2013.

    He however, said that he was impressed with what Nigeria has attracted to Africa as the world table tennis governing body, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) now see the West African nation as a crucial to its programmes in the world.

    “Nigeria started to come back on the right track three years ago under the leadership of Wahid Oshodi, and I can see how much promotion they got for the Cadet & Junior level to provide new generation of players. Of course they have opened doors for Aruna Quadri to show his class to the world at the 2014 ITTF World Cup in Germany. The hosting of Lagos Open for the last three years in a row has made Nigeria a place to be for top players in Africa and the tournament has also become part of the GAC World Tour events. Since its inception, it has been successful and it has been worthwhile to promote the game in Nigeria and it has also put the country on world map,” the ATTF boss said.

    He added: “I am so happy for the big steps we have made regarding growth and popularity of table tennis in the last few years and not only worldwide but also in Africa. For example two years ago no one could believe that we could have live streaming on youtube some TV channels for our African Cup or African Championships as we have now in 2015, while the number of members of ATTF this year has reached 51 affiliated National Associations. This for us is a plus and this was made possible with the singular efforts made by Nigeria and countries like Egypt and Congo Brazzaville.”

    For all these to be possible, El-Salhy admitted, “We are all working as a team in ATTF Executive Committee to enlarge the number of affiliated associations within ITTF/ATTF, and also to promote the participation and well organization of our activities to get more popular.”