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ITTF Africa Senior Championships: Nigeria, Egypt Emerge Top Seeds

Following their contributions to the development of table tennis in Africa, Host-Egypt and Nigeria have emerged top seeds for this week’s International Table Tennis Federation … Continue reading ITTF Africa Senior Championships: Nigeria, Egypt Emerge Top Seeds


table tennisFollowing their contributions to the development of table tennis in Africa, Host-Egypt and Nigeria have emerged top seeds for this week’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Senior Championships, which serves off in Cairo on Friday, January 23.

In Cairo, the rivalry between Egypt and Nigeria will be the major talking point as the North Africans are rated ahead of Nigeria in the team event of the championship. The draw for the team events will take place on Thursday January 23.

Despite Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri’s rise in the world rating, Egypt still holds the ace in the continent.

Table tennis buffs believe the recent ranking is a reflection of years of setback suffered by Nigeria under various boards of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).

Since the new board led by Wahid Oshodi came into power, Nigeria is nearing closing up the gap with the North African following the exceptional performance of the Segun Toriola-captained side at the last World Team Championship in Japan.

In the seeding list released by the Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Egypt, which is the highest ranked African country in the world is seeded number one in men’s team event, while they are also seeded number one nation in the women division.

For the men’s event, other seeded teams among the 19 countries expected at the tournament are Congo Brazzaville, Algeria, Togo, Libya, Cameroun and Congo DRC

Egypt also tops the seeding in the women’s event. Other teams in the list are Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville, Algeria Cameroun and Congo DRC.

Egyptian players dominated the singles event with the trio of El-Sayed Lashin, Omar Assar and Ahmed Saleh seeded in top three while Nigeria’s Quadri is fourth on the seeding list.

In the women’s seeding, Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing tops, while Egypt’s trio of Dina Meshref, Nadeed El-Dawlatly and Farah Abdel-Aziz. Other top seed players are Nigeria’s duo of Offiong Edem and Funke Oshonaike. The draw for the team event will hold on Thursday, while matches serve off on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation have listed 11 players that will represent the country at the Championship. Experience players Segun Toriola and Funke Oshonaike will make the trip with Toriola taking the role of Player/Coach.

According to Africa Table Tennis Federation, the tournament will serve as qualifiers for this year’s World Championships scheduled for April in China.

TEAM NIGERIA FOR THE ITTF AFRICA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Women’s Team

Funke Oshonaike

Edem Offiong

Cecelia Otu-Akpan

Laide Atinuke

Janet Effiong

Men’s Team

Segun Toriola (Player/Coach)

Aruna Quadri

Ojo Onaolapo

Kazeem Makanjuola

Jide Ogidiolu

Seun Ajetunmobi