Tokyo Olympics: Oshonaike, Edem begin table tennis action Saturday

By Olawale Alabi

Funke Oshonaike will take on Liu Juan of the U.S. on Saturday as Team Nigeria begin their quest for a first-ever medal in the Olympic Games’ tennis event.

Oshonaike will be playing in a preliminary round match in the women’s singles event of the competition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

The game is the competition’s Match 2, billed for table 2 from 9 a.m as action begins same morning in the competition, whose draws were made Wednesday evening in Tokyo.

Later during the day’s third session, billed for 19:30 to 22:30 hours Oshonaike’s younger teammate, Offiong Edem, will join the fray in the women’s singles round one.

Playing in match number 21 on table 3 from 20:15 hours at the same venue, Edem will take on Hungary’s Dora Madarasz.

Also, Olajide Omotayo will be in action about the same time in the round one of the men’s singles event at the same venue on table one in match number 17.

He will be taking on Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia from 21:45 hours.

Nigeria’s biggest medal hope in the competition, Quadri Aruna, will only be joining action in the men’s singles on Tuesday in round three.