Host state Ogun added to its medal tally in table tennis at the 22nd National Sports Festival—tagged Gateway Games 2024—by securing gold in the Mixed Doubles category.
On Monday, Ogun had already claimed two gold medals in the para table tennis events. Building on that success, the duo of Bode Abiodun and Tosin Oribamishe delivered a stellar performance in the Mixed Doubles final, defeating Bayelsa’s Azeez Solanke and Iyanuoluwa Falana.
Their path to the final wasn’t without challenges. In the semifinals, they faced stiff competition from Edo’s Rilwan Akanbi and Aminat Fashola. It was Abiodun’s experience that proved decisive, helping the Ogun team edge out a narrow 3-2 victory to book their place in the final.
Unlike the hard-fought semifinal, the final saw a dominant performance from the Ogun pair. They cruised to a straight-sets 3-0 victory over Bayelsa, bringing Ogun’s gold medal count in table tennis to three.
Meanwhile, the singles competitions are heating up as they enter a critical stage. Defending women’s singles champion Fatimo Bello of Delta has confidently declared her intent to retain the title.
“Expect a different performance in this festival because nothing can stop me from retaining the title. It’s going to be tougher this year, but I’m fully ready for any opponent here in Abeokuta,” said Bello.
The men’s singles event promises a fierce contest with more than ten top contenders, including foreign-based stars such as Olajide Omotayo, Bode Abiodun, Taiwo Mati, Bode Kayode, and Azeez Solanke. They will be joined by local talents like Matthew Kuti and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, as well as defending champion Amadi Omeh of Edo.
Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA), Tunji Lawal, praised the organizers and emphasized the importance of talent identification at the festival.
“I must commend the Ogun State government for putting on a great show. The turnout for the table tennis event has been impressive. With more players participating, we increase our chances of discovering new talent. This is a promising development for the sport in Nigeria. Hopefully, we can find the next Quadri Aruna at this year’s Gateway Games,” Lawal stated.
