Portugal, Egypt, Russia, Others Confirm For Lagos ITTF World Tour

With the expiration of players’ registration for this year’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour tagged Lagos Open, Egypt, Portugal, Russia, seven others as well as host – Nigeria have been confirmed for the five-day tournament holding next month in Lagos.

According to the list of confirmed players by ITTF, the Egyptian team will be led by current ITTF Africa Senior champion, Omar Assar and he will be joined by 12 compatriots including current African women’s champion, Dina Meshref.

Also, Portugal has the trio of Diogo Silva, Andre Silva and Jieni Shao, while Russia will be represented by Irina Ermakova.

Nigerian Women’s Team

Iran will also be debuting at the tournament with the duo of Afshin Noroozi and Nima Alamian coming to Lagos, while other teams like Benin, Cameroun, Congo DRC, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Togo will also be part of the $46,000 prize money championship holding on March 10 to 14 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Also, Nigeria will be led by the current ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri while veteran and six-time Olympian, Segun Toriola will also be part of the contingent.

For the women event, Nigeria will be represented by Germany-based Funke Oshonaike, Portugal-based Edem Offiong and winner of the maiden edition of the tournament, Cecilia Otu-Akpan.

Over 100 players have been listed for the tournament, which is the second challenge series in the ITTF World Tour calendar after the Hungary Open held in January.

According to the Tournament Director, Oluranti Lajide, this year’s tournament is unique as all eyes will be on Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri while the Egypt’s warlords led by bespectacled Omar Assar, who made the biggest move in the latest ranking this month by moving from 57 to 43 in the world.

Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium

“From the quality of players coming for this year’s championship, it is obvious that the feat achieved by Quadri has really attracted more players to this tournament and everybody is eager to face the ITTF Star Player.

The Egyptians will surely be aiming to defend the title they won last year and for the Nigeria female team, this is another opportunity to prove critics wrong about their dwindling fortune in the game. Being the year of the All Africa Games, most Nigerian players know that this is an avenue for them to play their way into the national team and it is going to be exciting,” Lajide said.

ITTF Africa Senior Championships: Egypt, Nigeria Seeded Top, As Draw Holds Thursday

ITTF AFRICA

Following their pedigree in the continent, Host – Egypt and Nigeria are top seeds for this week’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Senior Championships, which serves off in Cairo on Friday, January 23.

Also, the draw for the team events of the championship holds on Thursday January 23 in Cairo.
However, the seeding once again confirmed the dominance of Egypt over Nigeria as well as their superiority on the continent.

In Cairo, the rivalry between Egypt and Nigeria will once again come to fore as the North Africans are rated ahead of the West Africa giants in the team event of the championship.

In the seeding list released by the Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Egypt, which is the highest ranked African country in the world is seeded number one in men’s team event, while they are also seeded number one in the women’s division as well.

Nadeen EL-DAWLATLY of Egypt at the ITTF Lagos World Tour

Despite Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri rise in the world rating, Egypt still holds the ace in Africa.

Table tennis buffs believe the recent ranking is a reflection of years of setback suffered by Nigeria under various boards of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF). But since the new board led by Wahid Oshodi, Nigeria is closing up the gap with the North Africans following the exceptional performance of the Segun Toriola-captained side at the last World Team Championship in Japan.

In the men’s seeding, other seeded teams among the 19 countries expected at the tournament are Congo Brazzaville, Algeria, Togo, Libya, Cameroun and Congo DRC for the men’s event.

Egypt also tops the seedings in the women’s event, other teams in the seeding list are Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville, Algeria, Cameroun and Congo DRC.

Funke Oshonaike

Egyptian players dominated the singles event with the trio of El-Sayed Lashin, Omar Assar and Ahmed Saleh seeded in top three while Nigeria’s Quadri is fourth on the seeding list.

In the women’s seeding, Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing tops, while Egypt’s trio of Dina Meshref, Nadeed El-Dawlatly and Farah Abdel-Aziz.

Other top seed players are Nigeria’s duo of Offiong Edem and Funke Oshonaike. The draw for the team event holds tomorrow, while matches serve off on Friday

Players, ITTF officials arrive for Lagos World Tour

ITTF

Players from the 14 countries including host – Nigeria and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) officials will start arriving Lagos on Friday June 20, for the Lagos World Tour tagged Nigeria Open.

According to the itinerary of the teams, Singapore’s Jing Yuan Yin will be the first player expected to touch down in Lagos for the four-day tournament.

Others expected are Luxembourg’s Ni Xialian as well as Russia’s duo of Vasilij Filatov and Irina Ermakova.

The eight-man Egyptian team will arrive on Saturday June 21, while others will arrive Lagos on Sunday.

Also, ITTF officials led by African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy as well as his deputy, Henri Djombo from Congo Brazzaville will be in Lagos by Sunday.

ITTF Marketing Director, Australia’s Mr. Steve Daintom will also be in Lagos.

The draw for the championship will hold on Sunday, while some top players will be seeded for the competition.

Meanwhile, winners in the men and women singles event will get N.8m each while players that make it to the round of 16 will get cash reward for their efforts.

Semifinalists in the U-21 event will also be rewarded for their efforts.

As a Challenge Series in the ITTF World Tour, players are expected to amass points for their world ranking at the tournament.

Preliminary matches will kick off on Monday June 23, while the main draw will commence on Tuesday June 24.
Nigerian players aiming to be part of the main draw event are now sweating it out across the country with the intention of playing in the elite stage of the championship.

Some of the Nigerian players already in the country for the tournament are Germany-based Funke Oshonaike, Portugal-based Ganiat Olatunde-Aruna, as well as Italy-based Olajide Omotayo.

Over 15 countries including Nigeria will compete in the N8.5m prize money tournament holding at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium from June 23 to 26.

Bode Abiodun

Organisers plan big, as venue wears new look for ITTF World Tour

Defending champion of the Lagos Classics, Omar Assar

To ensure that the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-sanctioned Lagos World Tour scheduled for June 23 to 26 is successful, organisers of the tournament are putting finishing touches to preparation even as the venues are now wearing new look.

The Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium has been given a facelift while the Main Organising Committee (MOC) believes the tournament would continue to improve its standard yearly as players are expected to start arriving this week.

With teams like Egypt already in China preparing for the competition, players from Europe are also rounding off their build up this week.

A new lighting system has been installed in the hall, while the knock hall of the National Stadium that will serve as practice hall has also been renovated in preparedness for the competition.

Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium

Commonwealth champions, Singapore, Egypt and Russia and 11 other countries have been confirmed for the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Lagos World Tour tagged Nigeria Open holding this month.

MOC Chairman, Wahid Oshodi said efforts are in top gear to ensure that the facilities are ready on time, while ITTF experts in readiness for the championship will train over 100 officials.

“We are working very hard to ensure that once again we raise the standard of the tournament and we are pleading with the fans to come to the stadium to see the best of our sport.

We had players from 13 countries last year and with the closing of registration for the event, we have over 15 countries already listed for the tournament. We need the level of competition to continue to improve from year to year,” he said.

The President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) added: “As you know the top 16 players in Africa will be here to compete in the World tour as well as the Top 16.

I spoke to Omar Assar the men’s defending champion in Tokyo and he is looking forward to returning to Lagos to defend his title and continue his great relationship with the Lagos fans. Of course all our top players will be on show.”

Also, the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy believes the MOC has the capacity to up a good show.

“I am confident that this year’s tournament will be better than last year and with what I had been reading and hearing about the organization, I hope it will be the best tournament to be staged in recent times,” the ATTF boss said.

The teams confirmed for the tournament include, Benin, Congo Brazzaville, Congo DRC, Cameroun, Ghana, Libya, Luxembourg, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Togo and Tunisia.

Singapore’s Jing Yuan Yin will represent the Asian nation at the tournament and the junior sensation is expected to compete in the men’s and U-21 singles.

Also, Egypt has assembled a strong eight-man team led by the defending champion of the Lagos Classics, Omar Assar as well as current Africa’s Senior’s Cup champion, El-Sayed Lashin. His sibling, Khalid, Mohamed El-Beiali and Mohamed Elsobky will also be in Lagos.

Also, Africa’s number one female player, Dina Meshref will lead the Egyptian women team, which includes Nadeen El-Dawlatly and Farah Abdel-Aziz.

Russia’s flag will be hoisted by the duo of Vasilij Filatov and Irina Ermakova, while one of the top rated player in the world, Xialian Ni will represent Luxembourg in the championship.

Singapore, Egypt, Russia, 11 others confirm for ITTF Lagos World Tour

ITTF

Commonwealth champion, Singapore, Egypt and Russia including 11 other nations have already been confirmed for the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Lagos World Tour tagged Nigeria Open holding this month.

According to the list of confirmed countries, other teams that will join host – Nigeria at the tournament scheduled to hold on June 23 to 26 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium are Benin, Congo Brazzaville, Congo DRC, Cameroun, Ghana, Libya, Luxembourg, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Togo and Tunisia.

Singapore’s Jing Yuan Yin will represent the Asian nation at the tournament and the junior sensation is expected to compete in the men’s and U-21 singles.

Also, Egypt has assembled a strong eight-man team led by the defending champion of the Lagos Classics, Omar Assar as well as current Africa’s Senior’s Cup champion, El-Sayed Lashin. His sibling, Khalid, Mohamed El-Beiali and Mohamed Elsobky in the men’s category, will also join Assar.

Also, the number one rated African female player in the world, Dina Meshref will lead the Egyptian women team and Nadeen El-Dawlatly, as well as Farah Abdel-Aziz will join her.

Russia’s flag will be hoisted by the duo of Vasilij Filatov and Irina Ermakova, while one of the top rated player in the world, Xialian Ni will represent Luxembourg in the championship.

According to the chairman, Main Organising Committee (MOC), Wahid Oshodi, efforts are in place to ensure that the standard of organization for this year’s competition is improved.

“A lot more of the same is expected this year and I must thank all the people that made the tournament such a great success in 2013.

The experience garnered by many members of MOC in staging various top class events in Lagos came to the fore. The support and encouragement of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State is probably the most important factor in putting this tournament together.

We also must thank our sponsors who are proving to be excellent partners. Of course our success last year has led to the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) giving us the hosting rights of the African Top 16 alongside the World Tour.

This means that we have a lot more to do. We are working very hard to ensure that once again, we raise the standard of the tournament and we are pleading with the fans to come to the stadium to see the best of our sport,” Oshodi said.