Atanda Musa, Nigeria’s ex-international table-tennis legend, has commended the Lagos State Table Tennis Association for yet again organising the ongoing 53rd Asoju-Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Championships in Lagos.
The event which began on Dec. 1 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, will have players competing for honours in nine different categories. An elated Musa, who dominated the competition in the 1980s and the 1990s, said the championships have continued to live up to expectations.
Musa, who also represented Nigeria at the Summer Olympics in 1988 and 1992, said the event would continue to boost the Laura opportunity to pursue stardom.
“I am proud of what I’m seeing, it is not far-fetched from when I was a young player; indeed the sponsors and organisers have earned the right reputation globally. For the future of these young players, I want the state association to look at areas of employing old hands who can serve as coaches and are unfortunately currently unemployed”
“If employed, they will go a long way in pushing the players to be more determined and disciplined in achieving greater results,” Musa said.
In the first round games, Balogun Taiwo advanced to the next round after seeing off Kuti Sunday in three straight sets. Also, Ibrahim Olamidipupo was too clever for Shoyoye Hammed, whom he defeated in three straight sets, while Osedunkwu Joseph defeated Ogunsakin Okikiola three sets to one to also advance.
The second round matches continue as seeded players go neck and neck with young guns who are determined to write their names in the history books.