The unseeded duo of Samuel Boboye and Iyanuoluwa Falana clinched the mixed doubles title on Wednesday, April 30, at the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships held in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.
A major upset occurred in the U-15 boys’ singles, where the number one seed, Ayoola Usman, was eliminated by an unseeded player in the last 16 of the tournament.
The five-day tournament, sanctioned by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and organized by the Osun State Table Tennis Association, attracted participants from various states including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Taraba, Nasarawa, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, and the host state, Osun.
Clubs such as Aruna Sports Club, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force also competed for top honours at the N11.5m prize money championships.
Boboye and Falana emerged as champions in the mixed doubles event by defeating the number two seed, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Sukurat Aiyelabegan of Kwara State, with a score of 3-1 (11-1, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7).
The Bayelsa pair attributed their victory to focus and composure, despite facing top-seeded players, and expressed their ambition to secure more laurels for the Niger Delta team.
In the U-15 boys’ singles, Solomon Oyenekan of Lagos was the standout player of the day, stunning the number one seed, Ayoola Usman of Aruna Club, with a commanding 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-8) victory to advance to the quarterfinals.
As the tournament concludes on Friday, May 2, the competition for the coveted trophies and substantial prize money intensifies, with top seeds determined to maintain their dominance against unseeded challengers.
The absence of the national champion in the Men’s Singles, Matthew Kuti, who is preparing for an international tournament later this month, may pave the way for a new champion to emerge.
Players have praised the sponsors for providing a conducive environment and full boarding, including accommodation and meals, throughout the tournament.
