Young Sezuo wins first Top 12 Women’s Table Tennis Championship

Fourteen-year-old table tennis star Ize Sezuo has made a name for herself as one of Nigeria’s promising players. She surprised many by defeating older opponents to win the first Nigeria Women’s Top 12 Table Tennis Championship. This event took place at the Not Bad Sports Arena in Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, on Saturday.

The Kogi State teenager put on a series of impressive performances during the two-day tournament. In the final, she beat Hussain Halimat from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps 4-3. This thrilling match was part of a championship co-organised by the Not Bad Sports Arena and the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation.

Sezuo’s victory was remarkable because she came back from three games down. She lost her lead but kept her calm to win the deciding seventh game. For her efforts, she received N250,000 from a total prize pool of N3 million. Hussain, the runner-up, took home N150,000. The two semi-finalists each got N50,000, while the others received appearance fees and consolation prizes.

The championship, held from June 26 to 27, marked an important moment as the first top 12 event just for women. There were two earlier editions for male players only.

Sezuo’s journey to the title was one of the standout stories of the tournament. She was seeded ninth and shocked the top seed, Asaju Bisola from Edo State, in the semi-finals. Sezuo won the crucial seventh game after both players were tied at three games each.

After her win, a happy Sezuo shared how the title boosted her confidence. “This is my first time playing a tournament like this. It gave me a very good experience. I never thought I would go this far to the final. Winning this tournament makes me feel proud because it proves I am ready to compete with the senior players who have represented Nigeria. It has really boosted my morale,” she said.

The 14-year-old, who has played for Nigeria at World Table Tennis Youth events and the African Under-15 Championships, believes this win will lead to even greater successes. “I see myself becoming a professional table tennis player representing Nigeria and Africa in the future,” she said.

Competition Manager Segun Peters mentioned that the points earned from this championship would help improve national rankings. This makes the tournament a vital platform for developing talent.

Mike Ohadike, the host and owner of the Not Bad Sports Arena, said the championship was created to promote table tennis. He aims to help Nigeria regain its strong position in the sport across Africa. He praised the players for their performances and encouraged them to stay disciplined and focused on achieving more. He added that every participant was a winner.

Motivational speaker Traci Williams, who gave the keynote speech, called the first tournament a groundbreaking initiative that could change women’s table tennis in Nigeria. Drawing lessons from countries like China, Germany, Sweden, and Egypt, Williams urged stakeholders to build strong coaching systems. She also suggested expanding youth development programmes and providing ongoing support for players. Talent alone, she said, is not enough to create world champions.

Williams also urged athletes, coaches, administrators, sponsors, and officials to maintain professionalism and integrity. She noted that discipline is the key between talent and success. Williams believes that the first Top 12 Women’s Championship should start a new era where Nigerian women get the chances, exposure, and investment they need to bring Nigeria back among Africa’s top table tennis nations.