10th January, 2018
Some table tennis players and officials currently preparing for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, have commended the authorities for the conducive atmosphere at the national camp.
The Games will hold from April 4 to April 15 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
The 16 players who excelled in the first phase of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) organised trials are in camp.
The players include eight able and eight para athletes currently camped in Yaba, Lagos, under the supervision of four certified coaches in preparations for the task ahead.
The NTTF Assistant Secretary, Adebowale Adeosun, told NAN that the NTTF was doing its best to ensure that the players and coaching crew got the best welfare.
The able female players in camp according to Adeosun, are Cecelia Otu-Apkan, Tosin Oribamise, Fatimo Bello and Nimota Aregbesola, while their male counterparts are Ahmed Adeyinka, David Fayela, Jamiu Azeez and Fagbamila Akinwale.
In the Para category are Faith Obazuaye, Olaitan Kafayat, Lawal Kehinde and Adebayo Temitope. The males are Agubiade Tajudeen, Farinloye Victor, Alabi Kayode, and Adekoya Adeboye.
“We are trying our best to make them happy and get them focused and we have the backing of the sports ministry since the camp resumed in December,’’ she said.
Oribamise, a top-ranked junior player, told newsmen that they were satisfied with the logistics that were provided by the federation to ensure a hitch-free programme.
READ: NPFL : Plateau United FC ready for 2017/2018 season, official says
“We are doing fine in camp, we are eating well, we have good accommodation and we have access to adequate medical facility since we resumed,’’ she said.
The player who recently moved from 728 to 486 in the January International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ranking solicited for buildup competitions in between training.
Similarly Adeyinka added that they had no reason to complain about the atmosphere in the camp.
“We relate with ourselves after training and the comments has been on the positive side, because we know they are trying for us which we appreciate,’’ he said.
He added that the recently organised one-day O’Jez Championships which held at the National Stadium, Lagos, was highly beneficial for the athletes.
Also, Obazuaye applauded the NTTF for living up to expectations but urged the body to organise a foreign training tour to a country that has similar weather condition with Australia.
Nasiru Bello, the NTTF national coach, told newsmen that the players were committed and were responding adequately to the series of training schedules which held in the mornings and evenings.