3rd December, 2013
With the defeat of Australia in the final of the boys’ team event of the ongoing 2013 International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF, World Junior Championships in Rabat, Morocco on Tuesday, Nigeria is now 15 in the world.
Nigeria which was ranked 16 in the seeding for the tournament’s boys team event moved a place upward after the duo of Olajide Omotayo and Olasunkanmi Oginni defeated the Aussie boys in Tuesday’s final.
Nigerian Azeez Ogunlade lost the first match to Ivan Sulfaro 11-7, 3-11, 8-11, 5-11. Captain of the Nigerian team to the world championships, Olajide Omotayo beat Jake Duffy 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, while Olasunkanmi Oginni defeated Yang Shen 11-7, 11-7, 11-6. Omotayo, however, sealed the victory after beating Ivan Sulfaro 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 to help Nigeria finished 15th in the world.
P.M.NEWS Sports can report that Nigeria is now ahead of the Egypt in Africa and in the world.
Speaking after his match Ogunlade said: “It was painful that I lost my match against Australia’s Ivan Sulfaro because I played well. I think my looping was not really working for me today and whenever I took the lead, I most times lost out easily. I hope to correct all these when the mixed doubles, doubles and singles start. I am still hopeful of a good outing in this tournament.”
Tuesday’s victory has pushed Nigeria ahead in Africa in boys team. But Egypt is still leading in the girls team while Algeria is second in Africa. The Nigerian girls lost most of their matches.
—Taiwo Adelu