By Steve Oni, Ilorin
Team Nigeria has won the International Table Tennis Federation/Africa Table Tennis ITTF/ ATTC Junior/Cadet Championship held in Ghana.
Team Nigeria topped the table with 12 gold, 10 silver and nine bronze. Egypt came second while Tunisia occupied the third position.
Three Kwara State Table Tennis players were part of the Team that represented the Country at the Championship and won a total of 15 medals.
They are Shukurat Aiyelabegan that won six silver and two bronze, Iyanuoluwa Falana two silver and two bronze and Sofiat Jimoh two silver and one bronze.
The three players are part of the eight players that will represent Nigeria at the ITTF World Cadet billed for Thailand in November while Shukurat Aiyelabegan and Mazi Taiwo from Ondo State will attend ITTF World Cadet in Poland scheduled for October this year.
Over 26 Countries attended the Championship including Togo, Algeria, Libya, DR Congo, Cameroon, Cote d Voire, South Africa, Mauritius, Eritrea, Benin Republic and the host Nation, Ghana.
Receiving the Athletes, the Kwara State Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem praised the players for their brilliant performance, urging them not to relent in subsequent Championships.
Mallam Kazeem who also received one of the U 19 National Handball player that won silver at the World Handball Championship held in Kosovo, Olaitan Saheed Shittu charged them to be focused and dedicated in their career.
The Director reiterated the State government’s commitment to providing the leverage towards enhancement of Sports development and positively engage the youth.
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