Adegoke Muiz from Lagos and Ojomu Ajoke of Abuja claimed the men’s and women’s titles respectively at the maiden edition of the Governor Douye Diri Top-16 National Table Tennis Championship, held in Yenagoa, Bayels State capital.
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In the men’s final, Adegoke Muiz delivered a commanding performance to defeat compatriot and pre-tournament favourite Matthew Kuti of Lagos 4-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5). Samuel Boboye of Bayelsa and Abdulfatai Abdulbasit secured joint-third positions.
The women’s title went to Ojomu Ajoke (Jenz Ice Cream Club, Abuja), who fought past Bayelsa’s Hope Udoaka 4-2 in a thrilling six-set encounter (12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-3).
While declaring the two-day tournament closed, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, represented by the Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, announced that the championship will now become an annual event.
“The Top-16 is being hosted in the South-South zone for the first time and we are proud to have it here. We will make it an annual fixture to continually attract the best players in Nigeria to Bayelsa,” Governor Diri said.
The governor commended Mr Ama-ebi Ebikpolade Stow for his immense contributions to table tennis development in the state, noting that the ultra-modern “Fortress” table tennis arena has transformed Bayelsa into a powerhouse of the sport.
President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Dr Adesoji Tayo, praised Bayelsa for closing the gap on traditional table tennis states like Lagos, Ogun and Oyo.
“Bayelsa has shown that with the right investment and facility, any state can dominate. After their outstanding performance at the last National Sports Festival in Ogun State, Bayelsa is now the state to beat,” Tayo said.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, Mr Ama-ebi Stow, called for the immediate establishment of a professional Nigeria Table Tennis League to keep players in competitive shape year-round.
Patron of the association and Founder of Royal House of Grace International Church, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, expressed optimism that Bayelsa-born players will soon challenge for honours on the global stage.
The championship, the first of its kind to be staged in the South-South region, featured the country’s top 16 ranked male and female players.
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