NAN-S-4
T/tennis
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Dec. 18, 2017 (NAN) Winners in the various categories of the 2017 National Table Tennis Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games trials in Lagos were rewarded with cash prizes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2016 champion in the Able category, Cecelia Apkan, defended her title in the women’s singles by defeating Fatima Bello 4-0 and smiled home withN100,000 cash as the event ended on Saturday.
Apkan expressed joy and commended the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) for sustaining the championships which, she said, provided the opportunity for her to defend her title.
“The players that participated in this championships have really improved, even the ones I played with from the round of 16 to the final are just good.
“But in spite of everything, I thank God because my target of retaining my title was achieved, so I commend the NTTF for this opportunity and the umpires for being fair,’’ she said.
Bello, who was rewarded with N50,000, said she was happy to get to the final but missed her target of being the number one in the women singles at the championships.
Bello said,’’ It was a wonderful competition but tough, however, I am thankful to God for everything, I will work harder for the next edition.’’
In same vein, Jimoh Rofiat won the junior girls’ singles category and got N20,000 cash prize, while the silver medal position was occupied by Aiyelabegan Sukurat who got N10,000.
The N20, 000 prize for the junior boy’s went to Ayanwale Jamiu, while Mati Taiwo won 10,000 for the silver medalist’s position.
The Para players who excelled in the women’s and men’s classes also benefited from the cash prize galore at the dual championships which also served as preparations for 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Ifeoma Ezurike, a gold medalist in the women’s class 1-3 got N60,000, Opawole Oluwaseun who came second was given N30,000, while in men’s singles 1-3 class, Koleosho Ahmeed, won and was rewarded with N60,000 and Oluade Egbiola place second for N30,000.
Also, the women’s singles class 4-5 had Kate Oputa as winner and she took home N60,000 and Faith Obiora placed second for N30,000, while Akingbemisile Bolawa smiled home with N60,000 having won the men’s category.
NAN reports that other classes of the Para category in the five-day championships were 6-8 and 9-10 where the women and men also exhibited their skills.
The winners in the 6-8 and 9-10 classes also got same cash prizes of N60,000 and N30,000 respectively.
NAN also reports that 347 players participated in the Para and Able categories of the championships organised by the NTTF in National Stadium, Lagos from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16. (NAN)
MIL/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)