Asoju Oba Cup serves off today at Teslim Balogun Stadium

Battle for honours at the 53rd Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup begins today at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. The championship ends on December 7.

In line with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the organisers, the championship will feature competitions in only nine categories, including the singles events (men and women), doubles (men and women), mixed doubles, para singles standing (men and women) and para singles sitting (men and women).

Winner in the senior men’s class at the two-day Closed Tournament Table Tennis recently organised by the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSSTA), Rilwan Akanbi, will hope to continue his good runs against last year’s runner up, Emmanuel Augustine. That means that the absence of the defending champion, Ahmed Adeyinka, may signal a two-horse race for the championship.

The defending champion in the women’s category, Bose Odusanya, who has remained unbeaten since 2015 in the Asoju Oba championship, is looking forward to retaining her title for the sixth time in a row.

An excited Odusanya has also pledged to defend her title successfully at the 53rd edition of the competition.

“I see nobody stopping me from winning the title this year because I have been playing well. I am definitely in top shape to retain the title again.

“I am quite aware of the challenge from some young players like Ifeoluwa Omotosho and others. But as it is now, my focus is on winning my seventh consecutive title,” Odusanya stated.