Nigeria, Iraq shine at 2024 Lagos Valuejet Para Table Tennis Open

Nigeria and Iraq’s para table tennis players were the stars of the just concluded 2024 Lagos Valuejet Para Table Tennis Open, each securing six gold medals.

Held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas indoor sports hall, inside Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, the 3-days ITTF Factor 20 tournament witnessed intense competition among the players from the United Kingdom, Iraq, Iran, Cameroon, Togo, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria, participating in both singles and doubles events.

Nigeria’s strong dominance however suffered a setback when Iraq’s Muntadher Al Sarraji narrowly defeated the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games bronze medalist, Isau Ogunkunle, in a thrilling Men’s Singles Class 3-4 final, with a score of 3-2.

Cheered on by the home crowd, Isau gave an impressive performance in this tension-filled match but ultimately lost after a closely contested final game, which ended 13-11 in favour of his Iraqi opponent.

In a press conference, Sunday Odebode, the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN), emphasized that this year’s tournament showcased the exceptional skills of physically challenged athletes who displayed unwavering dedication and perseverance.

“The event also unearthed new talents who are making their mark in the para table tennis scene. We are thrilled that the tournament continues to grow significantly. The registration this year was impressive, and we are delighted to see the event attracting more players from around the world,” he remarked.

Pablo Perez, the ITTF Para Manager, underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in para table tennis, noting that it has encouraged the ITTF to support the tournament as one of the sanctioned events in Africa.