Agunbiade, others shine at ValueJet Lagos Para Table Tennis

Tajudeen Agunbiade, Isau Ogunkunle, Biola Adesope and Christiana Ikpoeyi at the weekend won titles in the men and women’s categories at the fourth Valuejet Lagos Para Table Tennis Open. The championship was held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall at Teslim Balogun Stadium.

In the finals decided, Agunbiade defeated Tunde Adisa 8-11, 4 -11, 13 -11, 11- 8, 11- 8 in the men’s class 9, while Ogunkunle beat Chinedu Nick 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8 in men’s class 4, just as Adesope dismissed Olufemi Alabi 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 and Faith Obazuaye walloped Kehinde Lawal 11-3,11-9,11-7.

Already eyeing their places at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, the quarter of Ikpeoyi, Ogunkunle, Agunbiade and Obazuaye believed that the championship has afforded them the chance to assess their likely opponents in the national qualifiers.

Speaking at the end of the event, the Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Oluwatoyin Gafaar, said the competition has helped to uncovered new talents.

“Coming from the National Sports Festival with most of these players participating, you can see that the standard is very high and lots of improvement on the part of the players.

“It shows that they really prepared and you see the finalists, who are champions from the festival showing their stuff here.

“The new talents have been impressive, unfortunately the players from the Commonwealth Games have had the upper hand. This shows the standard and quality of the tournament and those that are champions have reasons to be champions,” he said.