The stage is set for the emergence of new champions at the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships as defending champions Jamiu Ayanwale and Sukurat Aiyelabegan have both been knocked out of the tournament.
The grand finale of the five-day championship takes place today, Friday, May 2, in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.
Read Also:Ogun State Set to Deliver “Best of the Best” National Sports Festival – Commissioner Isiaka
The tournament, sanctioned by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and organized by the Osun State Table Tennis Association, features a total prize pool of ₦11.5 million.
Athletes from 20 states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Taraba, Nasarawa, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, and Osun, have competed across various categories. Notable clubs such as Aruna Sports Club, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force are also represented.
In a major quarterfinal upset, Kwara State’s Matthew Fabunmi defeated 2024 champion Jamiu Ayanwale of Rivers State with a 3-1 (11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8) victory.
Fabunmi advanced to the final after a convincing 4-1 win over Joshua Oladiran of Ondo. He will face fellow Kwara player and tournament top seed Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, who defeated Abdulraheem Sanni of Edo 4-1 in the semifinal, setting up an all-Kwara showdown.
On the women’s side, veteran Halimat Hussein of Oyo State ousted 2024 champion Sukurat Aiyelabegan before defeating Lagos State’s national champion Bose Odusanya in a thrilling 4-3 encounter. Hussein will face Hope Udoaka of Cross River State in the final, after Udoaka cruised past Aishat Raibu of Oyo with a 4-1 semifinal win.
In the para events, Ogun’s Isau Ogunkunle — a bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympics — claimed the Men’s Singles Class 1-5 title. In the Class 6-10 category, Abiola Adesope emerged victorious over Tokyo 2020 Paralympics bronze medalist Olufemi Alabi.
With new champions set to be crowned, today’s finals promise high-stakes action and a celebration of Nigeria’s top table tennis talent.
