Tony Ubani
17 August 2005
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, yesterday released the list of 16 players who have scaled the Commonwealth Games trial conducted at the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, raising hope of maintaining the status quo of winning some of the medals at the Games in Melbourne, Australia.
Nigeria has remained a power house in the Ping-Pong sport in Africa but has equally extended its frontiers to the Commonwealth Games. National Coach, Babatunde Obisanya said yesterday that he was happy with the players who stroked into the list of those going to the Commonwealth Games, promising to turn them into winners. Leading the pack in the Men's category of eight players is Saheed Idowu who did not drop a set to emerge the immaculte winner in the trials.
Demola Bamiduro dropped a set on his way to getting counted with Seun Ajetumobi, Gbenga Anthony, Kazeem Adeleke, Lanre Aremu, Kazeem Makanjuola and Sunday Odunlade. "The trials were very competitive and the players showed the vim and vitality of potential champions. We are really going to mould them into champions", Obisanya promised. Leading the women for the Commonwealth Games are the Cross River State duo of Offiong Edem and Cecilia Otu. The two who shot themselves into a domain that had been the exclusive preserve of the West are in no hurry to relinquish their hold.
Offiong looking good like wine that gets better with age won her three games in fashionable style while Cecilia who is easily distracted dropped one set. Joining them for training before they jet out to Melbourne are Uju Ogodo, Nike Aroyewun, Tolu Etti, Fatimoh Bisiriyu, Ganiat Ogundele and Taiwo Williams.
Coach Obisanya determined to keep the clean slate since he came to the scene said that the female players surprised him with their enthusiasm. "Our girls have exhibited the desire to win medals and we are going to encourage them to realise it. All we need is to give them the necessary exposure for them to go out on training tour to put things to perfection. On the whole, we have a good team", Obisanya who has resisted tempting offers to coach abroad added.
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