Lagos ITTF World Tour

FOR Edem Offiong, it is the title this time. 

In 2013, Edem Offiong fought her way to the final, but she could not  overcome her compatriot, Cecilia Otu-Akpan, who beat her to the  title. In 2014, she got to the quarterfinal of the women’s singles but she met her waterloo in Egypt’s Dina Meshref. And now she is determined to ensure that when the Lagos leg of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World  Tour serves off on March 10, the same fate will not befall her again.

  Since the beginning of this year, things have not been auguring well for Offiong, but she is determined to change the tide starting with the Lagos Open.

   “I am well prepared for this tournament because I have it in mind that I must do better this year. After my disappointing outing in Cairo, I  returned to Nigeria, rested for a week and since then I have been  training hard to ensure that I make it to the podium this year. 

  “I am in good shape and I hope the home support will help me this year,  especially against the Egyptians and Portuguese Chinese-born player,”  Offiong said.

 The player, who plies her trade in the Portuguese league, said: “I know a lot of people have been talking about the quality of the Egyptian  players, but I want to let them know that the Chinese-born Portuguese is  indeed a serious threat because she is the number one female player in  the Portuguese league and she is a very strong player.”

 Offiong, who made it to round of 16 at the 2014 Spanish Open in Almeria, said she hopes to use the Lagos Open title to prepare herself for this year’s German and Spanish Opens.

 “I admit that it will not be easy because for anybody to clinch the title this year, such player must be at her best.

Any player that is coming to Nigeria must understand that the atmosphere is always different from anywhere in the world because the fans are always there to cheer the host players and visitors must be ready to face this as well. I am sure this will work in my favour,” she added.