Leadership (Abuja)
Zubby Alazua
14 May 2008
Abuja — Seun Ajetunmobi's consistence as Nigeria's best home-based ping-ponger, was enlivened over the weekend with an astonishing victory over Monday Merotohun at the 1st O'Jez National Open Table Tennis Championship.
The event, which was watched by a capacity crowd that included the Deputy Director, National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Tijani Yussuf and President, Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Cosmas Maduka, saw top seed Ajetunmobi prove the critics wrong of being a local giant as he convincingly out-stroked Beijing Olympic Games bound Merotohun 4-1 sets of 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 and 11-3 to carry the day with a sum of N80,000, while the runner-up received N60,000 for his effort.
While speaking at the end of the game, Portugal-bound Ajetunmobi stressed that beating his opponent was not an achievement but that hard work and determination partly contributed to his victory, as well as maintaining his pride as the country's top most ping ponger, adding that his opponent was a well known force to him, in the game.
In the ladies' singles category, Ganiat Ogundele of Union Bank Sports Club continued her excellent performance over arc-rival, Atinuke Olaide of University of Lagos with a four straight sets of 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 to win the game, thus carting home the sum of N60,000 just as N40,000 went to Olaide.
In her reaction, Ogundele stated that it would be difficult for her rival to catch up with her game, having being on top of the game in the last two years.
In the junior boys event, Ondo State athlete, Ojo Onaolapo, out-stroked Azeez Rashidi of Lagos 4-1 to pocket N40,000 as against N30,000 to Rashidi, while in the girls' category, Funke Hasssan (Lagos) beat Fatima Bello 4-1 sets to receive N30,000 for her effort as N25,000 went to Bello.
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