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Oshonaike eyes first World Tour title

By EDITOR
26 February 2015   |   7:44 pm
FOR more than two decades, Olufunke Oshonaike, has represented Nigeria at various international table tennis tournaments, yet she says followers of the game still have a lot to savour from her.  At 39, the Germany-based player believes she has what it takes to  clinch the Nigerian leg of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World…

FOR more than two decades, Olufunke Oshonaike, has represented Nigeria at various international table tennis tournaments, yet she says followers of the game still have a lot to savour from her.

 At 39, the Germany-based player believes she has what it takes to  clinch the Nigerian leg of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour,  tagged Lagos Open.

  She has attacked the competition two times, but the nearest she came to winning the title was in 2013 where she reached the last four. She was knocked out in the quarterfinal in 2014. 

  And now, the former African champion is determined to lead Nigeria’s bid to avenge the defeat they got from Egypt in the last edition of the competition.

  This year’s challenge serves off on March 10 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

  “I know that by God’s grace if I play well without stress, the gold would be mine. I want to have a wonderful time. I know I can still do well and I am looking forward to getting the best of the Egyptians,” she said.

  Oshonaike says, “I don’t want to disappoint my fans and I am confident that Nigerian players will defeat all the Egyptians. It is time for them to (Egyptians) also realize that they have a lot of players to contend with in Nigeria, just like we were dealt with in Cairo recently,” she boasted.

  She also expressed optimism that ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri would be ready to rub shoulders with the North African warlords.

  One of the oldest players at the just concluded ITTF Africa Senior Championships in Cairo, Oshonaike showed that she is still a force to reckon with in the sport. 

 

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