Connect with us

Table Tennis

Commonwealth champion Achanta leads Indian contingent to 2024 WTT Contender Lagos

blank

Published

on

blank

2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games champion Sharath Achanta will lead a strong Indian contingent to the 2024 WTT Contender Lagos taking place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The 41-year-old is the first Indian table tennis player ever to become a 10-time Indian national champion hence breaking the record of eight-time national champion Kamlesh Mehta.

Considered one of the most flamboyant Indian athletes, Achanta is eagerly looking forward to the tournament as part of their preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The highest-ranked Indian male player in the world rated 40th was in 2019 awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award while in 2022, he was awarded the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour will be joined on the Lagos trip by 2023 WTT Contender Lagos semifinalist Harmeet Desai as well as Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran in the men’s singles.

The women’s squad will be spearheaded by long-pimple Manika Batra, the top female table tennis player in India and ranked 24 in the world and she will also have her compatriot,

Advertisement

Sreeja Akula is also an integral member of the Indian team that qualified for the Olympic games at the 2024 World Team Championships in Busan, South Korea. Akula, who is a familiar face in Lagos will have compatriots like Yashaswini Ghorpade, Archana Kamath, and Sutirtha Mukherjee heading to the commercial nerve centre for a podium finish.

It is all about the title defence for South Korean Shin Yubin, having topped the podium in 2023, Yubin spearheads the lineup in this year’s edition.
Lagos was one of two WTT Series wins for World No. 7 in 2023, and with her 2024 account currently empty, history repeating in Nigeria will be just what the Korean is yearning for but India’s Batra could pose the biggest threat to Yubin’s title defence in Lagos.
like Batra, Akula is in red-hot form, already claiming two WTT Feeder Series events this year, and the chance to make a rapid graduation and claim a WTT Series title will not be squandered by World No. 41 as she looks to continue her rise in the global ladder.
Lagos offers a rich cultural scene, with opportunities to explore the National Museum, visit the iconic Eko Atlantic City, and enjoy the lively nightlife of Victoria Island. For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby beaches of Tarkwa Bay Beach and Lekki Conservation Centre provide a relaxing escape from the city’s bustle.
Indulge in the local cuisine, a flavourful fusion of African and international influences, and soak up the rhythm and energy of the Lagos community.
WTT Contender Lagos 2024 offers up a total prize pool of $80,000 as well as 400 ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking Points for the champions.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Table Tennis

The Man of the Moment: Wahid Oshodi

blank

Published

on

blank
Wahid Enitan Oshod, the new president of African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF)

Nigeria’s Wahid Enitan Oshodi is the new Sherif in the African table tennis community having been unanimously elected as the president of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).

 His journey in sports administration started in 2000 when he was appointed into the Lagos State Sports Council Governing Board under the administration of Bola Tinubu who was then, the Lagos State governor.

He later became the chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA when Babatunde Fashola was Governor of Lagos State.

In the same dispensation, he was appointed as Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development in 2011, and he supervised the most exciting National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.

Thereafter he was elected President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) where he brought vibrancy to the sport unearthing international stars like Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo.

Advertisement

Oshodi was recognised by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) as he was appointed the chairman of its Nomination Committee.

 In 2019, he was elected the Deputy President of ATTF and in 2021, he beat candidates from China and Europe to top the voting for the post of the Executive Vice President of ITTF.

His ingenuity in sports administration has made Nigeria one of the table tennis hubs in the world.

On October 15, 2024 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa he was unanimously elected as the 6th President of ATTF.

With his election, Oshodi is the only Nigerian currently presiding over a continental sports body.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Table Tennis

A new era as Nigeria’s Oshodi heads African Table Tennis Fédération

blank

Published

on

blank

A new era in the history of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) begins this Tuesday as Nigeria’s Wahid Enitan Oshodi is unanimously elected as the President of the  54-member continental sports body.  

That is the high point of the Annual General Meeting of the continental body held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He thus becomes the only Nigerian heading a continental sports organisation.

His tenure is for four years he steps in to replace Khaled El-Salhy who served three terms from 2010 to 2024.

Before his ascension to the high seat, Oshodi was the Deputy President of ATTF and Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Continue Reading

Table Tennis

Nigeria names teenage stars for 2024 African Championships in Ethiopia

blank

Published

on

blank
Hope Udoaka

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has announced a 10-member squad, predominantly featuring junior players, for the 2024 ITTF African Championships in Addis Ababa from October 12 to 19.
   The final list, released by the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), includes seasoned stars like Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo, Ajoke Ojomu, and Fatimo Bello.

Joining them are promising young talents such as Matthew Kuti, Muiz Adegoke, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, Aishat Rabiu, Hope Udoaka, and Aziza Sezuo.
   Matthew Kuti, who made his senior debut at the 2023 African Games in Ghana and competed in the 2023 African Championships in Tunis is West Africa champion and he will be making his second appearance at the continental event. In contrast, Adegoke and Abdulfatai will debut at the African Championships after leading the men’s team to victory at the 2024 West Africa Regional Championships in Lome, Togo.

 Udoaka, West Africa women’s champion; Rabiu and Sezuo, products of NTTF’s grassroots efforts, will also make their first appearance at the African Championships.

These players featured in the maiden Daniel Ford tournament and they displayed exceptional skills to win the hearts of the national handlers.
 NTTF Vice President Adesoji Tayo explained that including junior players is part of the federation’s strategy to expose them to top-class competition early.
   “We decided a few years ago to unearth new players, and we are happy that some of these players are coming through. They represented the country at the regional tournament in Togo and competed against top players from the region.

“This is another opportunity for them to gain experience at the African Championships. We are not expecting too much from them because they still need to gain more confidence. They have experienced players like Aruna, Omotayo, Bello, and Ojomu to learn from. We hope they can hold their own against some of the best players in Africa,” Tayo said.
   Meanwhile, the Ethiopia Table Tennis Federation (ETTF) has promised an exciting tournament that blends culture and sport. ETTF President Tesfaye Bizane hopes to use the event to showcase Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage.

Advertisement

“Hosting the tournament after 24 years offers a unique chance to showcase Ethiopia’s cultural heritage and history, making the event more than just a sporting competition,” Bizane said.
   “Visitors can expect a warm welcome and vibrant cultural experience in Ethiopia. As the birthplace of coffee, they will have the opportunity to taste authentic coffee directly from its source. Guests can explore various attractions, including the National Museum, which houses a 3.2 million-year-old fossil, zoos, aquariums, the African Union Headquarters, and the Adwa Memorial Museum.

“This rich blend of history, culture, and hospitality promises a memorable experience,” Bizane added.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed