The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Toriola

  • Busan 2024: Toriola harps on fresh talents for table tennis

    Busan 2024: Toriola harps on fresh talents for table tennis

    Acting coach of  Nigeria’s national  team to the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships  in Busan, South Korea, Segun Toriola believes  there is urgent need  to wean more  talents to  face the rigour of international competitions  for obvious reasons.

    Nigeria  was  eased out of  the competition’s knockout stage supposedly  following the forced  absence of  experienced  Quadri Aruna due to  illness.

     “It is obvious that the absence of Aruna affected the team’s performance because being a top player, his presence alone would have motivated his teammates to do well,” Toriola reportedly said.  “Even before our match against Japan was a walk-over , the technical crew of the Asian giant were fretting thinking that Aruna may pose a big challenge for them. Fortunately for them, Aruna withdrew for them to have an easy passage in the competition.

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    “Aruna no doubt is one of the most respected players in the world because of his quality and for me his presence in the team would mentally and psychologically help his teammates to do well. We lost to Madagascar because we don’t have him in the team because the Madagascans are a strong team and looking down on them will not be entertained,” Toriola added.

    The former African champion said it was  time that young players were exposed to top class competitions just like Tunisia and other African nations have been doing lately.

     “We need to start exposing our young players to competitions of this magnitude so that they can learn from the likes of Aruna and Olajide Omotayo,” he further said.“This will boost their morale going into any competition just like what Tunisia has been doing lately.
    “Other countries like Algeria now have quality players who had failed to make the French team and are now seeking success in their native country to be able to make it to the Olympic Games.

    “We need to watch out for this kind of player and we must continue to support our young players in their quest to compete favourably with their foreign counterparts,” he noted.

  • Toriola leads Team Nigeria to ITTF WTTC in Korea

    Toriola leads Team Nigeria to ITTF WTTC in Korea

    Africa’s  table tennis legend Segun Toriola is expected to lead Nigeria contingent to the 2024 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) taking place in Busan, South Korea between  February 16  and  25.

    According to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Toriola was picked based on his wealth of experience coupled with his cordial relationships with most of the top players in the national team.

    With the formal retirement of the former national coach Nosiru Sule last year, Toriola became the best option for the federation as the best hand to handle the teams to the WTTC which also serves as a qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

    Toriola’s name is synonymous with Nigerian and African table tennis having won numerous African titles and appearing in seven Olympic Games.

    Read Also: Aruna hits 12th spot in latest ITTF ranking

    At the Busan 2024 WTTC, the Nigerian men’s team have been drawn against Japan, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic and Madagascar in Group 8 as the eight groups of five countries in each group will be aiming to advance to the knockout rounds.

    Egypt, the African champions, will battle against Portugal, Romania, Iran and Thailand in Group 8, while Algeria will face France, Australia, Denmark and Austria.

    In the women’s category, the Nigerian team  is grouped with Germany, Slovakia, Poland and Mexico, while the Egyptian ladies  will slug  it out against European teams – France, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Croatia in Group 8.

    Algeria’s women face the massive task of battling Chinese Taipei, USA, Thailand and Chile in their group. The South African women’s team is pitted against Japan, Brazil, Luxembourg, and Iran in Group 2 of the women’s event.

    China, the defending WTTC champions, occupy the top-seeded positions in both the men’s and women’s team events as the country’s ladies are placed in Group 1 with Hungary, India, Spain and Uzbekistan.

  • Why my marriage didn’t work, by actress Wumi Toriola

    Why my marriage didn’t work, by actress Wumi Toriola

    Actress Wumi Toriola has broken the ice on circumstances that led to the crash of her three- year- old marriage.

    The mother of one in an interview with colleague, Debbie Shokoya, claimed her ex-husband used her game against her.

    The script interpreter added that she believed in making things work but her husband didn’t give her the opportunity as he always rubbed her fame to her face.

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    She alleged her husband was always using her fame to keep her trapped in the marriage until she decided to move on.

    “I got married to a young man, we had our lives coming up. I used to believe we could work things out but at a point when you have issues in marriage and keep letting you feel your celebrity status is on the rock. Things that would have been settled.

    “Me and my ex co-parent on a good note. He is 100% involved in his child as of today.
    I even realized that co-parenting is going better, we could have even ended up being friends.

    “There was a point when I called Punch newspaper for an interview, I was still married then and I wanted to break the news to them but I still slowed down.

    “At some point when my marriage failed, I just put all my energy into my movie and that’s what I am reaping today. My mental health was a mess then but I channeled the energy into my movies,” she said.

  • Toriola, Olugbodi, others celebrate Adeniyi

    Toriola, Olugbodi, others celebrate Adeniyi

    One man, who has several good and highly placed individuals in the right places is Adewale Bashir Adeniyi.

    Following his appointment as Acting Comptroller of Customs, Adeniyi has begun putting the Nigeria Customs Service on its path to further glory.

    Hence, it was no surprise when the Chief Executive Officer MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, and Dr. Tunji Olugbodi led a long list of dignitaries, friends, and associates got together to celebrate Adeniyi.

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    Friends and associates took turns in eulogising Adeniyi’s leadership and ingenuity as a Customs official with years of experience.

    The close-knit event, which was held at the Radisson Blu also had in attendance HRM Oba Oluwadamilare Ojo, Olomu of Ilomu, Ekiti State; Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye, Oluyin of Iyin, Ekiti State; Wale Akanmu, Paul Arinze, Femi Adesina, Kenny Adeyemo, Chief Isawunmi, Edi Lawani, Dare Babarinsa, Eniola Bello, Yomi Badejo Okusanya, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Dele Momodu, Reuben Abati, Generational and definitive highflyer Adewale Adeniyi, Chris Adetayo, Gbenga Arujo, Charles Ikeje, Chief Ade Adeniyi, and Chief Adedayo Ojo.

    The dinner in honour of the CGC, Wale Adeniyi, was organised by Chief Adedayo Ojo, Founder and CEO, Caritas Communications Limited.

  • Omotayo, Toriola suffer defeat

    Olajide Omotayo was on the receiving end yesterday at the 2019 ITTF World Championship after losing in a narrow battle against Cyprus’ Marios Yiangou just came undone as Segun Toriola’s recovery against United States’ Victor Liu.

    Olufunke Oshonaike was all smiles, as she recorded an emphatic 4-1 win over Ecuador’s Mylena Plaza in her first group encounter in Budapest.

    Omotayo was in the race to beat his Cyprus counterpart but the experience of the veteran European came to the fore against the Nigerian with a recovery from 1-3 to win at 4-3.

    Despite dominating the first game 11-7, Omotayo could not hold the sway as he lost the second at 7-11. And the Nigerian raced to the lead after winning the third and fourth game at 11-7, 12-10. But his efforts to complete the rout against the Cypriot came to a halt as his opponent leveled up in the fifth and sixth games at 5-11, 9-11. And in the seventh game which was to be the decider turned out to be one-sided as Omotayo fell 1-11 to concede defeat at 4-3.

    Unlike Omotayo, Toriola was dominated by the Chinese-born American as the veteran was losing 6-11, 8-11, 7-11 but the experience of the former African champion came to fore as he rallied back to win the fourth game at 11-7. But not ready to surrender the lead to the Nigerian, the American fought well to win the fifth game at 12-10 to complete his 4-1 win over Toriola.

    But Oshonaike left the table smiling after beating her Ecuadorian counterpart 11-5, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 to complete her 4-1 win while debutant Ajoke Ojomu also recorded her first win with a 4-1 win over her Luxembourger counterpart.

    Today April 22, the tournament enters crucial stage of the preliminary as Omotayo and Toriola hope for victory in their final group match to know their fate of advancing to the main draw.

    Like Toriola and Omotayo, Oshonaike and Ojomu will be hoping to top their groups as they play their final group matches as well.

  • Nigerian table tennis talents are unique – Oshonaike

    Nigerian table tennis talents are unique – Oshonaike

    After working with more than 20 junior and cadet players for one week, African table tennis queen, Olufunke Oshonaike believes untapped talents still abound in Nigeria.
    “Before the clinic, I thought they said we don’t have talented players again but with the few days I spent in Lagos, I discovered that we still have the unrefined talents who just need some encouragement to become world beaters. In Europe, players are exposed to qualify equipment and good coaching and this alone motivate them. Unfortunately in Nigeria, all these are not available while the frustration across the country is also taking its toll on sports as nobody cares about the challenges of the players,” she said.
    “I am hoping that Toriola and I can work together for another clinic because these players just need more encouragement for them to become stars like us. I just hope we can have the time in July before the Lagos Open, to stage another clinic for these players because they need that consistency now. This kind of exercise should not be a one-off event,” Oshonaike promised.
    The most decorated female table tennis star lauded the support she got from the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, Frot Group and the Editor, The Nation, Gbenga Omotoso, while hoping that more sponsors would come on board in subsequent clinics.

  • Toriola, Quadri retain men’s doubles title

    Toriola, Quadri retain men’s doubles title

    Having watched Egypt claimed three titles ahead of them in the ITTF Africa Senior Championships, Nigeria showed their quality in the men’s doubles as the pair of Aruna Quadri and Segun Toriola retained the men’s doubles title.

    Pairing for the first time in a major championship, the partnership of Quadri and Toriola conquered Egyptian teams to hold on to the title won in 2015 by Aruna Quadri and Kazeem Makanjuola.

    The Nigerian duo defeated ageing Egyptians – El-Sayed Lashin and Ahmed Saleh 4-2 to give Nigeria its first gold medal in the one-week championship holding in Agadir, Morocco.

    An elated Toriola said: “For us winning this title is very good because I had said earlier that it is a must for us to win the doubles title. But I must also tell you that it was not an easy match because the match was strange to us in all departments. Also our opponents are very experienced players and clever, so we are so excited claiming the first gold medal for Nigeria in this competition.”

  • Toriola to guide Quadri at ITTF World Cup

    Toriola to guide Quadri at ITTF World Cup

    There are strong indications that the experience of seventh time Olympian, Segun Toriola may count when the 2016 ITTF World Cup serves off next month in Germany, as the former African champion may tutor Aruna Quadri at the tournament.

    Toriola, one of the experienced table tennis stars in the world has featured in the championship at several occasions and he has accepted to guide Quadri when the tournament serves off on October 1.

      Toriola, who recently moved to Belgium after more than a decade in France is expected to stand behind the 2014 ITTF Star Player when he battles against some of the world’s top players in the city of Saarbrucken.

      SportingLife learnt that Toriola, who was instrumental to the scintillating performance of Quadri at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, has volunteered to ensure that he brings his experience to fore at ensuring that Quadri’s global fortune continues to soar.

      Meanwhile, Quadri who only last week guided his club, Jura Morez to its league opener victory in the French table tennis league was on the receiving end as he could not save his team from losing 103 at home to La Romagne.

  • T/tennis: Toriola honoured as Nigeria make early exit

    T/tennis: Toriola honoured as Nigeria make early exit

    NIGERIA’S Olympics campaign in table tennis is over but not without some world recognition for the country’s Segun Toriola.

    The trio of Aruna Quadri, Toriola and Bode Abiodun were roundly beaten 3-0 by China in the men’s team event.

    Having proved bookmakers wrong in the singles’ event in which Nigeria produced the first African to make it to the quarter finals, expectation were high in some quarters but the defending Olympic champions, China, gave no room for errors as they dominated the match from start to finish.

    Quadri, who played the second game, was the only player who forced a fourth set against Ma Long ending their match at 3-1.

    With the defeat, Table Tennis event has ended for Nigeria at these Games with the team ranked 9th. The women’s team did not qualify for the team event.

    Despite the disappointment of an early exit there was something to cheer on the night following the special recognition accorded legend, Toriola.

    A colourful presentation was held at the Riocentro Pavilion 3 in Rio where Toriola was joined by three other table tennis stars that have competed in seven Olympic Games; Zoran Primorac (Croatia), Jörgen Persson (Sweden) and Jean-Michel Saive (Belgium) as well as ITTF helmsman.

    For Toriola, he hopes that his award can inspire more athletes to aim for the best in their career.

    “It is a privilege to be next to you both and receive such recognition. I am proud to be in the 7 club with such champions and I hope I can inspire more kids to start playing table tennis around the world. Thank you ITTF for this trophy and everyone for your kind words,” an elated Toriola said after the award.”

    After winning his preliminary round match against Canada’s Andre Ho, Toriola was drawn to play Sweden’s Jörgen Persson in round one of London 2012 but, unfortunately for the Nigerian player, that was as far as he could go as Persson won in five ends.

  • Toriola gallantly bows out in table tennis

    Toriola gallantly bows out in table tennis

    Africa’s record making athlete, Nigeria’s Segun Toriola yesterday bowed out gallantly from the men’s singles event of table tennis at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

    Toriola, who made his seventh appearance at the Olympic Games as the first African to achieve such feat fought hard against world number 22, Japan’s Koki Niwa but the young Asian was made to work hard for his victory against the veteran.

    To exit the competition, Toriola fell 11-9, 5-11, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 1-11 (4-2) to the Japanese star.

    Prior to his second round encounter against the Japanese, Toriola had caused an upset in the first round when he bundled out Czech Republic’s Dimitrij Prokopcov.

    Playing against a higher ranked Prokopcov in the first round of the Men’s Singles event, the 120 ranked African legend pulled off an impressive performance, his opponent 4-2 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8) to end the Czech’s Olympic dream in Rio.

    The 41 year-old Toriola, whose seventh Olympic Games appearance equals the table tennis record and makes him the most capped African Olympian said: “I’ve played him in the French League three times and I’ve lost every time. Today I felt confident before the match, I played without any fear. My first attack was strong and he made mistakes, the main problem for me was that I made mistakes when playing short.”

    In the women’s singles event, it was not a good day for Nigeria’s duo of Olufunke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong as they were shown the exit in the first round.

    In the preliminary round, it was an easy win for Edem Offiong who walloped Fiji’s Sally Yee 4-0 (11-3, 11-8, 11-3, 11-2).

    Despite recording a 4-3 win, Olufunke Oshonaike would not forget in a hurry what nearly caused her an early exit as she squandered a 3-1 lead and it took experience for her to overcome Lebanon’s Mariana Sahakian  with a 4-3 (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8).

    In the first round, Olufunke Oshonaike fell to Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz 4-2, while Edem Offiong was edged out by Belarus’ PAVLOVICH Viktoria 4-1.

    Olufunke Oshonaike, who was Team Nigeria’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony admitted after managing to win her preliminary match that, ‘I’m so tired, I don’t know where I am. I didn’t get to bed until after 2.00am this morning, I feel like a bomb has hit me. Experience got me through today. I could not focus, I could not concentrate but I carried the Nigerian flag, I am through to the first round, I’m so happy!”