Nigeria hits ITTF World Junior Championship

With medals to show for their efforts, Team Nigeria (boys and girls) yesterday confirmed their places at the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championship holding in South Africa after finishing among the top three teams at the ongoing ITTF African Junior & Cadet Championship in Algiers.

It was the boys’ team that first secured their spot after making it to the final where they had to settle for the silver against Egypt in the final.

But the road to final for the boys was not without its hurdles as Nigeria’s road to South Africa was not without efforts, as the West African giant had to fend off host – Algeria in the quarterfinal before setting up a semifinal clash against the highly-rated Tunisia.

As the last match on Day Two of the championship, the clash between Nigeria and Tunisia had all the suspense expected of such game being the deciding match to determine the two first teams to qualify for the World Juniors.

Algeria Junior Open Champion, Tunisia’s Omar Ammous could not save his team from the hand of the Nigerians despite winning his match against Azeez Solanke with Amadi Omeh and Abayomi Animasahun recording emphatic victories over SAADAOUI Mootezz and OUESLATI Raed.

Bespectacled Omar Ammous tried to restore parity for the Tunisians but the skills of Nigeria’s Amadi Omeh was too much for him to handle as he fell 3-1 to concede an overall 3-1 defeat to Nigeria.

But the Nigerian boys conceded defeat to Egypt in the final to pick the silver medal.

Unlike the boys team that girls’ team had to wait till yesterday before knowing their fate.

They were unfortunate against Algeria in the semifinal tie after losing 3-1 to the host nation.

And to complete the continent’s three slots for the global championship, the team made up of Ajoke Ojomu, Esther Oribamise and Nimota Aregbesola gently dismantled Angola 3-0 to join Egypt and Algeria at the World Juniors.

For their efforts, the girls’ team also has a bronze medal to show for their qualification.

Ajoke Ojomu told NationSport that she was happy that they join the boys in the qualification, while blaming their semifinal loss to Algeria on hard luck. “I am happy that we qualified for the World Junior Championship and this is one of our goals in Algiers and I hope we can do well in other events,” she said.

Over 10 countries are taking part in the championship with the doubles and singles events serving off today and the tournament ends on April 12.