NAN-S-1
Fans
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Aug. 14, 2017 (NAN) Some spectators at the just-concluded Seamaster ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open on Sunday voiced their disappointment at the poor performance of Nigerian players in the championships which held in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omar Ossar and Meshreh Dina of Egypt won the men and women’s singles events, respectively, at the international championships.
Nixon Adiri, a table tennis enthusiast, told NAN at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium that his expectations were dashed by the poor performance of the Nigerian players.
Adiri said he watched most of the matches and observed that in spite of the good performance of the Nigerian players, their opponents were easily able to expose their technical deficiencies in the sport, to defeat them.
“This championships has come and gone, and there have to be winners and losers, but the truth is that Nigeria players ended half way; it’s saddening,” he said.
In the same vein, Bayo Ajayi, a youth corper, said that it was painful that the events were won by visiting players, in spite of the teaming supporters and fans of Nigeria’s notable players.
“The bulk of fans that attended left the hall disappointed, especially when our own Aruna Quadri lost his game on Sunday, just as well as others who couldn’t make it to the finals,” Ajayi said.
Dotun Omoniyi, a table tennis coach, told NAN that the Nigerian players that featured in the tournament performed to the best of their abilities.
Omoniyi said that the likes of Quadri made it to the last 16, while some junior/cadet players got to the quarter and semifinals, which he described as impressive.
“They have pulled their weight, and I applaud them, but the problem of inadequate exposure keeps slowing and denying them the opportunity of getting to the top,” he said.
Nofiat Jimoh, a junior national player who crashed out at the group stage of the U-21 event, told NAN that her opponent, Ermakova Irina of Russia, was a better player.
Jimoh, whose aim was to top her category, said that she could not cope with Irina’s style of play which resulted to the 3-1 defeat she suffered in her game against the Russian.
“My opponent was just too much. It was obvious that the competition was a regular thing for her and she used that exposure against me,’’ Jimoh said.
Meanwhile, another spectator, Bukola Salami, told NAN that the publicity and level of coverage of the five-day event was very impressive.
“The championships were given wide coverage on radio and Television, which led to the massive attendance by fans.
“Those who attended got good value for their money, even when our players fell short of our expectations,’’ she added.
NAN reports that the venue of the tournament was filled to capacity, while fans of Nigeria’s Africa number 1 player Quadri wore t-shirts that had his name inscribed on them, amid the tight security at the venue.
No fewer than 22 countries featured in the 46, 000 dollar-prized 4th edition of the annual ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open, which held from Aug. 9 to Aug. 13. (NAN)
MIL/ERO/PIO
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Idonije Obakhedo)