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Tag: Offiong Edem

  • Table Tennis: Proud five-time Olympian Edem retires from national team

    Table Tennis: Proud five-time Olympian Edem retires from national team

    One of Africa’s most decorated table tennis players, Offiong Edem, has announced her retirement from the   Nigeria’s national team.

    The former African Games champion shared the news yesterday (November 14) on  her Instagram page, expressing her desire to inspire the next generation of table tennis stars through her foundation.

    In her post, the 37-year-old wrote: “As a proud 5-time Olympian, I bid farewell to the national team. It’s time to explore new horizons and nurture young table tennis talents, inspiring the next generation to surpass my achievements.

     “I extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me on this incredible journey: family, friends, and well-wishers. Your unwavering love and encouragement mean the world to me. From humble beginnings in Bayside to international recognition, I am deeply thankful.”

    Edem also expressed her appreciation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), and the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) for providing her with a platform to showcase her talents globally.

     “Thank you #IOC #NOC #NTTF, and I thank God for the talent and opportunities it brought. So much has been achieved, and I’m grateful. I bow out but remain committed to the table tennis community, empowering young stars. Once again, thank you all for your support. Peace and Love,” she added.

    Edem has been a consistent  face in African and international table tennis competitions for over a decade. She is one of Nigeria’s most successful female table tennis players, having represented the country at multiple African Games, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games.

    Known for her remarkable skill, composure, and versatility, she has earned a reputation for her contributions to the sport both on the continental and global stages.

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    Her big break came when she was selected to represent Nigeria in junior tournaments. Her strong performances in national and continental competitions earned her a place on Nigeria’s senior women’s table tennis team, where she quickly established herself as one of the top players in the country.

    Some of her most notable achievements include winning multiple gold medals at the African Championships, where she competed against some of the best players from across the continent. Her leadership on the court was evident as she guided her teammates through tough matches, providing both strategic advice and motivation.

    Edem is known for her well-rounded playing style. She is a versatile player with a strong defensive game, but she is equally capable of attacking with precision when needed. Her ability to adapt to her opponents’ strategies and maintain her composure under pressure has made her a formidable competitor in both African and international tournaments.

    Her strengths lie in her quick reflexes, excellent footwork, and ability to read the game. She is also known for her powerful forehand and consistent backhand, which allow her to maintain control of rallies and dictate the pace of the game. Her calm demeanour on the table has earned her a reputation as a mentally tough player who excels in high-stakes situations.

    Off the table, Edem is passionate about giving back to society and has been involved in initiatives aimed at promoting sports among young people in Nigeria. She believes in the power of sports to transform lives and often speaks about the importance of hard work, discipline, and perseverance in achieving success.

    Her story is one of determination, and she continues to inspire young athletes in Nigeria and across Africa to pursue their dreams and overcome obstacles.

  • This is my toughest tournament, Edem admits

    This is my toughest tournament, Edem admits

    After escaping being sent packing from the ITTF Africa Olympics Qualification Tournament, Offiong Edem was quick to admit that this is toughest competition she ever played.

    A satisfied Edem told NationSport after beating Algeria’s Islem Laid 4-2 in the quarterfinal that she was nervous throughout the match and that she was fortunate to have escaped.

    “I must tell you that since I have been playing tournament this is the toughest competition I had ever played because I was nervous and I could not get my rhythm from the beginning to the end of the match. My mind was on the game because it is an Olympics qualification and all the players are capable of qualifying. This is not based on ranking but on performance,” she said.

    The former African champion whose mind is on making her third appearance at the Olympics believes she is even more afraid in the tournament as any mistake might cause ones exit. “I have been so nervous like this even at the African Games or World Championships and you cannot underrate any player because they are also aiming to make it to the Olympics being the biggest stage for every athlete.”

    With a target of picking one of the two slots, Edem will battle against another Algerian – Lynda Loghraibi in the semifinal, which is the final match to decide the two players that will qualify for Rio.

  • ITTF Africa Tournament: Edem escapes Algeria’s scare

    ITTF Africa Tournament: Edem escapes Algeria’s scare

    Nigeria’s Offiong Edem was stretched beyond the limit on Wednesday by Algeria’s Islem Laid in the quarterfinal round of the ITTF Africa Olympics Qualification Tournament in Khartoum, Sudan as the tournament ends.

    Similarly, after berthing in the last four of the competition, Edem will know her fate for a place in the Rio Olympic Games as the remaining players that will complete the continental quota emerge.

    Edem, who has not played against the Algerian before was made to work hard for every point in the quarterfinal encounter with both players given the fans something to cheer.

    Apart from having difficulty returning the service of the Algerian earlier in the match, Edem found it hard to control the spin in the pimples racket of her opponent.

    After winning the first game at 12-10, the Algerian grew in confidence by throwing caution to the wind to the advantage of Edem.

    Edem restored parity with 11-5 win but the Algerian claimed another victory in the third game at 4-11. But this win fired up Edem who began to dictate the game and within some minutes she recorded the needed victories winning three games in a row at 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 to berth in the last four which holds today to determine the finalists that will qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

  • TABLE TENNIS STAR, OFFIONG EDEM, On love life, family and God

    TABLE TENNIS STAR, OFFIONG EDEM, On love life, family and God

    She is a combination of beauty and talent. Offiong Edem is unarguably one of the most talented sports women in Nigeria today. An epitome of the biblical virtous woman, Edem exudes a good character, combined with the right attitude to work, both in and outside the sporting arena. Her love for football while growing up could not kill her inherent talent in the game of table-tennis. Her rise to stardom started at age 14 when she competed in the women singles category at a national championship. Since then the Cross River State-born player had not looked back, winning several laurels for the country in major international competitions. Though she claimed to have had some relationship that should have culminated into marriage that would, however, not make her throw herself on any man, writes Innocent Amomoh.

    How I started playing t/tennis

    I started playing table tennis in1999, on my grannies’ dining table when she was not around. Each time she goes to church for the evening service, I would set a table with my elder sister, and we would play together. From there we moved out. One of our neighbours had a table tennis board, although I was very shy to play, my sister kept telling me let’s go now, if you are not there I won’t be able to play. So at some point I said let me be going to play; so from there if my mother sent me on an errand, I usually told her I was asked to come back for the change. It was always an opportunity to go and play more.

    After like two or three months a coach came around, Koko Bassey was his name. He saw the way I was playing, and he was like would you like coming to the stadium? And I told him I would love to but I had to return from school. My first day at the stadium was with bare feet and I didn’t put on a T-shirt. I played with just my shorts, so the man was trying to make me understand that I am a woman, I have to wear something. I said okay, but I am not used to wearing something because I was used to playing football with men outside on the streets. On getting to the stadium, he now asked me, who do you want to play with? I said I would love to play with the lady there, that was, I think, year 2000. So I started practising with them. I was enjoying the game every day when I got home it was not easy because my dad didn’t really want me to play. He would be so upset and angry, and sometimes I would wonder, is this really my father? When I got back home he would beat me so mercilessly, he would tell me ‘I asked you to go to school, what are you doing there at the stadium?’ It wasn’t that easy, so when I got to Bauchi 2000 that was where they did the National Sports Festival, I think the national coach saw me playing and invited me.

    Alternative career

    I think I would have been a footballer because I loved football, even up till now I still go and play football every Saturday evening and sometimes Sunday after church service. I love football so much and between the football coach and my coach they were always dragging me. I would play football in the morning and table tennis in the afternoon. So my coach will be like one day you will break your leg and you will not be able to move. At a point, I said it’s true, because I actually had so many wounds on my leg because of football. I realised he was telling the truth that I would sustain injuries, that was how I quit football.

    Career fulfilment

    I am fulfilled because I have achieved so much through table tennis. I have been to so many places and most of the things I have today I got through table tennis. I rose to become the national champion. That was the year 2000. I was 14 then when I became the women’s singles champion; that was how on my own part I realised football was not really for me because if football was for me I wouldn’t have become a national champion so quickly. Being the champion I wanted to play everybody and the fans wanted to see me. It was a surprise to me I didn’t believe it, and then my mother was very sick but she was always praying for me. She was always telling me don’t worry you are going to come out with something and things will work in your favour and I always listened to her. Every time I listened to her everything worked out fine.

    Before a major game

    First of all I have to be in good shape. I have to make sure I jog even during the game; if I can’t make it in the morning, at night I will work out for 30 minutes, and mostly before any game I pray before going to bed, that is what I believe in. I pray and when I am in good shape I know I can play against anybody. I am always very confident.

    Pressure from men

    It depends on what you want. If you want to get married you can as well get married, but sometimes it’s very difficult and you don’t stay at a place. Now that there is no tournament, I don’t stay at home, I usually don’t stay in one place. You get to a place and you make friends, before you know it you are away to another destination. As female athletes we get pressure from men but overtime we have learnt to manage it. It is what you want. You have to have your own will power, if this is what I want I have to go for it but it is usually very challenging.

    Marital plans

    I am in a relationship, we are very close now but I can’t say if I am going to marry him or if he will, but we are just good friends and anything can happen. I like him enough to marry him, that is if he wants to, but I won’t push myself to him, it is something we pray about because he is a nice person. I just need to leave him to God….He is a Nigerian.

    Memorable moment

    It was the day I won the women singles title. That was in 2000. I was so happy because I never thought of it. I never imagined it. I was so happy that I didn’t even know how to express myself. Even up till now it is still fresh in my memory. My most horrible moment was at the All African Games in 2000 in Algeria. It was when I had problem with my boyfriend and it affected me so badly for more than a year. I was disturbed and could not focus on my game, thereby losing important games. I was distracted and my mind was not just in the game. It was not easy because it affected me so badly that everybody noticed. I couldn’t just share it with anybody.

    Looking at the finals, the Congo girl had defeated me in the quarter finals and seeing her playing against, I think, Bose Kaffo, in the finals, I was almost in tears. I told myself that I’ve lost everything, what is left for me? My only consolation then was that I was not going back to Nigeria but instead went back to Portugal. But still it wasn’t that easy until I came back to Nigeria, I couldn’t tell anybody about it but I was disturbed.

    Back to Nigeria

    I am not back home finally. I am just tired of staying abroad. I have been in Europe for five years and being alone for that long for a lady is not really good. I tried to make friends but I discovered that those I met were into bad businesses. And there is this mentality in Europe, when you are alone as a lady the guys feel you should just have babies for them and nothing more. Their main intention is to get you pregnant. So I said to myself there was no point for me to stay. I think I have seen it all. I have played table tennis at the highest level, it won’t stop me from playing in Nigeria if I want to and still be the best. All I need do is to be focussed, train more and be in good shape.

    Fashion

    I am a very fashionable person. I make sure everything I put on is the best. Most times I can’t help it but I have to give myself the best. When I have the money I purchase the best materials in term of fashion. Each time I go for a major competition and I make good money I buy myself something sophisticated to show for my effort.

    Favourite food

    I don’t have any particular food in mind, when I am in Nigeria I eat Nigerian food, when I am overseas I eat what they eat over there but at times I take Nigerian food to Europe. But I discover that okro soup is the only Nigerian food that I can eat anytime.

    Religious belief

    I am a very religious person because even at some point, my parents felt I was going to be a prophetess. I don’t go to church regularly but I know I have a gift that helps me tell people things about them that will come to past. I am very selective when it comes to attending churches.

    Achievements

    I have achieved so much through table tennis. I have built a duplex, bought a car and I am renovating my father’s house. I actually had two cars but later sold one, which I wanted to give to my mum but it was difficult for her to drive the car. She is a pastor and she is busy working for God.

    Family

    I am the number six in a family of ten but my parents lost two of us and we are eight now. I am from a Christian home in Calabar.

    Education background

    It has not been that easy combining sports with education. But the little time I have, I mix with people, I try to learn a lot from people. You know the kind of friends you mix with will determine one’s disposition. At the same time I don’t get intimidated and I don’t discriminate against people but I know who to go out and who not to go out with.

  • Why I almost quit table tennis – Offiong Edem

    Why I almost quit table tennis – Offiong Edem

    One of Nigeria’s finest table tennis players, Offiong Edem has revealed to SportingLife how she almost quit the ping pong game in 2011.

    Speaking exclusively, the former Portuguese based player said the treatment meted out on her after winning three Gold medals for Nigeria at the last All Africa Games (AAG) in Maputo, Mozambique.

    “I returned from the games with three gold medals and a silver medal in the team’s event and it was as if I didn’t represent this country. Nobody recognised that feat and I became frustrated that I almost quit the sport.

    “Times without number I felt like quitting the sport because of how we are treated here in Nigeria but somehow I found myself returning after series of pleas from my coach, Richard George who is also my brother in-law.

    “Efforts also made to see the governor of my state to present the medals to him were met with brick walls because some people felt I have to go through them, you know the Nigerian factor.”

    Asked if she’s satisfied with her achievements so far in table tennis, the light-complexioned player said: “I am fulfilled because I have achieved so much from table tennis. I have been to so many places and most of the things I have today are through the sport”.

    Recounting her rise to the top, Edem said: “It was so fast for me to become the National Champion in the year 2000. I was 13 or 14- years-old then when I became the women’s singles champion. As the champion I wanted to play and everybody wanted to see me play, it was really a good experience,”

    On the last Lagos International Table Tennis Championship, she said: “This is the biggest of all in Nigeria, back then I used to hear when my coach talked about the Bournvita, Coca- Cola championships. Inviting international players to come and play here in Nigeria is huge. It might not have been perfect but there’s room for improvement. The organisers did a fantastic job and I want to thank the president for his own idea because if not for him, I don’t think we would have had something like this.”