Tobi Matti aims for 2028 Olympics

Kwara-born table tennis player Tobi Matti is working hard to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He is currently focusing on his professional career in Italy and wants to improve his global ranking.

The 25-year-old has been playing professionally in Italy for over five years. He said that qualifying for the Olympics is his main goal as he tries to make a name for himself in the sport.

Matti sees the 2028 Olympics as a key point in measuring his career progress. He knows there are challenges in reaching that goal, but he remains focused.

"My goal is to participate in the 2028 Olympics and also attend multiple international tournaments. That ambition has shaped my journey despite the challenges I face in trying to progress at this level," Matti told our correspondent.

The player, who plays for TT Centro Sportivo Bonacossa, talked about the financial difficulties of competing without regular sponsorship. He mainly relies on his personal funds to support his career.

"My experience pursuing my professional aspirations internationally has been quite demanding due to the absence of sponsorship," he said. He added that it is tough to join overseas competitions without structured support, but he is determined to keep competing at a high level.

Matti started playing table tennis at age eight while studying in Nigeria. He later earned a degree in Business Administration from Kwara State Polytechnic.

He has represented Nigeria in many international competitions, including the ITTF Nigeria Open from 2013 to 2018, the 2019 Portugal Open, and the Africa Senior Table Tennis Team Championship.

In Europe, he has also found success. He won a league title with TT Ennio Cristofaro after several near misses in previous seasons. He believes that his perseverance was key to finally winning silverware.

"Winning the league title has been challenging. As the team’s number one player, my team and I struggled for three years, consistently finishing second or third. We eventually secured the league title in our third year," he said.

In his most recent season, Matti finished fourth with Tennistavolo Torre del Greco ASD, showing his steady presence in Italy’s competitive table tennis scene.

Matti also wants to give back to his home state. He has donated table tennis equipment to young players in Kwara to help grassroots development.

He hopes his career will inspire the next generation of Nigerian players. He also wants more financial support for athletes in the sport.

"Nigeria is really blessed with a lot of talents, but players need support to attend tournaments and training camps because table tennis is an expensive sport to play," he added.

Matti is hopeful that his continued growth in Europe will lead to Olympic qualification. He dreams of representing Nigeria on the world stage in 2028.