The Indoor Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos was full of energy as the 7th Adegboyega Efunkoya National U-15 Table Tennis Championships wrapped up on Saturday. Two young stars, Mubarak Balogun and Fatimoh Ahmed, took home the singles titles in Nigeria’s top grassroots table tennis competition.
Balogun and Ahmed’s paths to victory showed their hard work and dedication. Balogun fought hard to beat Juwon Ogunsakin in the boys’ singles final. Ahmed also showed her skill by defeating Waliyat Afolabi in the girls’ singles match.
Their wins made them champions, but they also highlighted the tournament’s goal: to develop the next wave of Nigerian table tennis stars.
Ahmed’s success didn’t stop with her singles title. She teamed up with Emmanuella Shaibu to win the girls’ doubles trophy. In the boys’ doubles, Kehinde Olamilekan and Kehinde Oluwasemilore took first place.
In the mixed doubles, Emmanuel Adebiyi and Deborah Fayele came out on top. Each winner received cash prizes, but the honors meant even more.
Balogun and Ahmed were named Most Valuable Players. Ogunsakin, even though he was the runner-up, was praised as the Most Behaved Male Player. Joyce Owolabi received the same award for the female category.
Funmilayo Oyetayo from Ogun State was named Best Coach. Omotoso and Mistura Taiwo were recognized as the youngest players of the tournament.
In a move that showed the event’s focus on both education and sports, Balogun and Ahmed each received scholarships worth ₦100,000.
The tournament was organized by the Adegboyega Efunkoya Sports Foundation, led by Babatunde Obisanya, in partnership with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation. It began with a two-day coaching clinic, then moved into three days of intense competition among over 130 players, 82 boys and 54 girls, from across the country.
One of the competitors was five-year-old Ayomide Omotoso, the youngest player. Her participation captured the spirit of discovery that the event represents.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇