2015 African Para Table Tennis Championships: Nigerian Players In Race For Places At 2016 Paralympics Games

Nigeria’s quartet of Francis Chukwuemeka, Ahmed Owolabi Koleosho, Emmanuel Chinedu Nick and Faith Obiora will continue their quest for places in the Rio 2016 Paralympics Games at the ongoing 2015 African Para Table Tennis Championships.

The three-day Paralympics qualifiers have players across the world aiming for their spots in various classes.

The Nigerian team sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC) is coached by Njoku Chiwedu with winners in each class securing automatic qualification to Rio 2016 Paralympics Games.

Ahmed Owolabi Koleosho and Emmanuel Chinedu at the Morocco Para Table Tennis Open,

For the handler of the team, getting the spots remains the aim of the team. “We want to qualify for the Paralympic Games”, stressed Chiwedu. “There are many countries competing here, we have tough opponents, I guess Morocco is our biggest opponent but I guess we can make it and win more titles.”

Meanwhile, France-based Chukwuemeka added to his medal haul at the 1st Morocco Para Table Tennis Open after combining with Romania’s Bobi Simion in class 6-10 to win gold medal in the men’s team event.

But it was not same story for the duo of Koleosho and Nick as the Nigerians had to settle for silver in the men’s class 1-5 after losing 2-0 to Brazil’s Welder Knaf and Venezuela’s Edson Joel Gomez Sanchez in the final.

Nigerian players in race for places at 2016 Paralympics Games

Prior to his triumph in the team event, Chukwuemeka clinched the title in the Men’s Singles Class 9-10, while his Romanian partner had also claimed the gold medal in Class 6-8.

Koleosho and Nick did not lose without any fight as the contest was closer than the overall result might suggest. But it was the South Americans that emerged victorious ahead of the Nigerians.

Nigeria’s Obiora, Chukwuemeka Claim Gold Medals At Morocco Para Table Tennis Open

Nigeria’s duo of Chineye Obiora and Francis Chukwuemeka dominated their class in the singles event at the 1st Morocco Para Table Tennis Open Championship holding in Agadir, Obiora, a Commonwealth Games medalist was unbeaten to clinch gold in the Women’s Singles Class 1-5.

In a group organised event, she finished ahead of the Moroccan trio of Mariama Guenaoui, Najat Xelomari and Zineb Nmer.

“My coach prepared me well for this Championship, I train every day for two hours”, said Obiora who was clearly delighted to be in Agadir.

Nigeria’s Chineye Obiora in action

“Moroccan players are my biggest opponents and I must prepare myself thoroughly”, added Chineye Obiora. “Here in Morocco they are very friendly and I am very comfortable here.”

Success came the way of Nigeria and to some extent unexpected success, in the guise of Francis Chukwuemeka on the first day of play, at the 1st Morocco Para Open Championships in Agadir.

He won the Men’s Singles Class 9-10 title. Occupying the second seeded position in the competition he finished his first phase matches unbeaten, ahead of Kuwait’s Ali Alsanea and Morocco’s Mohamed El-Mrabet, before accounting for Abdullah Alkhaldi, also from Kuwait, at the semi-final stage (11-2, 11-7, 11-7) and Karim Boumedouha of France, the top seed, in the final (7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7).

Earlier, Karim Boumedouha had concluded his group ahead of Kuwait’s Abdullah Alkhaldi and Morocco’s Al-Moutaouakil Bilal, before at the semi-final stage overcoming Ali Alsanea (11-3, 11-7, 11-5).

“Karim and myself are very familiar with each other, we both play in the French League, he has beaten me twice and I have beaten him once”, explained Francis Chukwuemeka, when speaking to Omar Refaat, the 19 year old Press Officer on duty in Agadir
Well known to each other, undoubtedly that fact produced a hard fought contest.

“It was a very close match, I changed my tactics and plans so I could beat him; Karim has a very good serve and also he plays from outside the table very well”, added Francis Chukwuemeka. “I kept changing the direction of the play; that is a major reason why I won.”

Tactical awareness and experience brought Francis Chukwuemeka success.

Nigeria celebrate

“I have been playing in the French league for eight years”, added Francis Chukwuemeka. “Also, I had a tough match in the semi-final against Ali Alsanea. “I had to focus and concentrate more to beat him “

A delighted Njoku Chiwedu, the Nigerian National Coach said:

“Our preparation for the tournament was very excellent”, he said. “My country tried hard to make us ready, they have provided everything for us; they also managed a camp for two months in Nigeria to make us ready.”

“We want to qualify for the Paralympic Games”, stressed Njoku Chiwedu. “There are a many countries competing here, we have tough opponents, I guess Morocco is our biggest opponent but I guess we can make it and win more titles.”

Nigeria’s Francis Chukwuemeka