Toyin Okenla-Ojeaga U-17 table tennis tournament goes national
After the successful staging of the maiden edition, organisers of the Toyin Okenla-Ojeaga U-17 Table Tennis Championship have decided to make it a national competition.
According to the sponsor of the tournament, Okenla-Ojeaga, it became necessary to open the championship to other athletes across the country, as well as to widen the net of discovering new talents from other states.
“Like I had said in my first interview that this is just my way of giving back to the society and also helping the young ones to fulfill their dream in their chosen field of sports. We started the competition in Lagos with the athletes drawn across the state but this year, we want to give other athletes opportunity to showcase their talents, so that we can widen the scope of the championship,” she said.
The former table tennis champion, who won three gold medals at the Bendel ’81 National Sports Festival, however, admitted that she is aware that the budget would shoot up, but said that plans are in place to ensure that the athletes are well catered for during the competition.
The US-based Okenla-Ojeaga said, “I decided to sponsor this tournament for kids because I am a passionate advocate of youth empowerment through education. I believe that education is fundamental to development. It fortifies people and it is the main key to achieving desired goals.
The tournament is being organized by the Lagos State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development in conjunction with the Main Organising Committee, under the auspices of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) with each state expected to present a four-man team for the championship.
According to the competition Manager, Oluyomi Oluwasanmi, the tournament serves off on February 24 to March 1 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Seven (7) events made up of team, singles and doubles events will be jostled for at the N.6m prize money one-week competition.
“Only Secondary School students born on or after January 1st 1997 are eligible to participate. Each of such students must represent a state or the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and must also complete the registration stating his/her secondary school enrolment number as well as school identity number. The sponsor shall provide accommodation for the team as well,” Oluwasanmi said.
Abiodun Adekunle of Angus Memorial Senior Secondary School and Zainab Akande of King Ado High School won the maiden edition in Lagos.
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