LAGOS – The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) on Friday said 15 countries have confirmed their participation in the ITTF table tennis classics holding from June 23-26 in Lagos.
The classics is tagged Lagos World Tour Nigeria Open.
The federation said in a statement that Singapore, Egypt, Russia Benin, Congo Brazzaville, DR Congo, Cameroun and Ghana would participate.
Other are Libya, Luxembourg, Morocco, Sierra- Leone, Togo, Tunisia and host, Nigeria.
The competition would serve off on June 23 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has listed 36 umpires for the four-day tournament.
The umpires were drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Libya, Togo, Congo Brazzaville and Benin.
Malaysia’s Cyril Sen and Netherland’s Albert Roojimans would coordinate the affairs during the tournaments.
Meanwhile, two Nigerian home based players listed to represent the country in the championship, Onaolapo Ojo and Kazeem Makanjuola said they were ready for the event.
The total prize money for the championship is N 6.4 million.
Ojo said that he had been looking forward to the competition since 2013.
”It is a high grade international competition and everyone who is coming is a strong contender.
”We are the host country and I will take advantage of it to make myself and the country proud.
”I have being training so hard for this and I am ready to take on my counterparts from other countries.
”At the last edition which was also held in Nigeria, I lost in the quarter final and have sworn not to allow such to repeat itself this time,” he said.
Makanjuola on his part said that losing out in 2013 at the semi-finals was painful, adding that the loss had spurred him to prepare well this edition.
”This is one competition that one needs to take seriously and be focused, taking each match with caution and ensuring that the right serves are used.
“I am giving all my best into it so as to emerge victorious,” Makanjuola said.
Some of the other Nigerian representatives are France based Segun Toriola, and Funke Oshinake based in Germany.
The championship would feature five events, namely; male and female singles, male and female doubles and mixed doubles. (NAN)
