Odusanya eyes sixth title at 52nd Asoju Oba Cup

Five-time women singles champion, Bose Odusanya, is not giving up on her desire to claim a sixth title when the 52nd edition of the annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup holds from November 30 to December 1 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Odusanya who has been unbeaten in the last five editions of the tournament hailed the family of the late Molade Okoya-Thomas for agreeing to stage the event this year amid COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am really looking forward to claiming the sixth title this year because I am in good shape for the tournament. I must also commend the family of Chief Okoya-Thomas for deciding to organize the championship this year because we had thought it would not hold again. For us in Lagos, the tournament is an annual event we are sure of competing for and that we are playing two events this year, I think we must be grateful to the family,” she said.

Odusanya, who will be leading the Lagos State women table tennis team to the National Sports Festival in Benin City, believes the tournament would also afford them the opportunity to test against some of the best in the state .

Like Odusanya, men’s singles defending champion, David Fayele, is not ready to surrender the title this year, having won the last two editions in 2018 and 2019.

He said, “I don’t see anyone stopping me this year because I dominated the recent tournament organised for the return of sports in Lagos State and for me, I am fully ready to shield others from cuddling the trophy this year.”

The southpaw lauded the organisers for keeping faith with the tournament despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas is Nigeria’s oldest sporting event as the tournament has been staged annually uninterrupted since inception in 1968.

The tournament is staged in collaboration with the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) under the technical supervision of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA).