Idris Adesina
National junior players, Alimat Ayinla
and Rilwan Akanbi, have been handed tough fixtures in the 2016 Asoju
Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Championships singles.
The knockout rounds of the men and
women’s singles begin on Thursday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
The competition ends on Friday.
Ayinla, who is a member of the
eight-man squad for the ITTF World Junior Championships in South
Africa later this month, faces 2012 women’s singles finalist, Funke
Hassan, in the women’s singles quarterfinal on Thursday.
Akanbi, who is also a member of the
South Africa 2016 squad, takes on Rogba Olawoyin in the round of 16
of the men’s singles while another member of the squad, Azeez Solanke,
battles Jamiu Azeez in the round of 16.
Other pairings in the women’s singles
quarterfinals will see 2015 champion, Bose Odusanya, engage Taiwo
Williams while Fatimo Bello faces Nimota Aregbesola, with Modinat
Yusuf playing the 2013 champion, Tolu Durosinmi-Etti.
Also, in the men’s singles round of 16,
defending champion, Ahmed Adeyinka, takes on Dayo Adenugba while
Nurudeen Hassan tackles Isiaka Seriki.
Joseph Osendukwu battles David Fayele,
while Seun Adeleye plays Monsuru Kazeem. Samson Agbaje faces Olakunle
Ajulo while Bolaji Asekun confronts 2015 finalist Ayo Omotara.
“Alimat is a good young player and I
know that she will be going for a competition soon. This tournament is a
training ground for her,” Hassan said.
“But I cannot afford to allow her beat
me. This year I don’t want to make any mistake, having played in a
series of finals. I am indeed in a good frame of mind to win the title
this year.”
Meanwhile, a two-time winner of the
men’s singles Adeyinka says he is hopeful of winning the title for the
third consecutive year.
He said, “I have trained hard for the
competition. I have won the competition back to back since 2014 and I
believe that 2016 edition will not be an exception.”
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