LAGOS – Junior players at the ongoing table tennis National club’s team league said their participation would further build their confidence and exposure in the sport.
Some of them, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, said the defeat they suffered from senior players would serve as motivation and exposure in future competitions.
Abayomi Animashaun said he had played four matches so far in the competition and lost all.
The 11-year-old student of Shepherd Nursery and Primary School, Ado- Ekiti, said he had been playing against older players.
“’I am using it to gather more experience and learn new skills from the older players; the margin in which I lost to them is not much, it’s just few points,” he said.
A 12-year-old player, Ibrahim Umar, of Local Government Area Primary School, Lokoja, said he was not afraid playing against his seniors.
Umar told NAN that he lost all his three matches to senior players who used experience to their advantage.
“’They have more skills and experience than myself, and that is the advantage they have over me.
“’I am studying them and I will use what I gain to improve on my subsequent matches,” he said.
Jamiu Ayanwale, 14-year old student of St Paul Primary School, Idi-oro, Lagos, said he was satisfied with his performance despite losing to older players.
Ayanwale said that participating in the competition exposed him to bigger challenge in the game. [eap_ad_2] “’If it was my age category I played with I would have won.
“’I didn’t know the competition will involve the senior players, I taught it was for the junior players.
“But all the same, my participation in the tournament has helped me to be ready to face more experience players,’’ he said.
A female player, Kehinde Oyeniyi, a student of Okesuna Junior Secondary School, Lagos said that the league is her first major competition.
Oyeniyi said she was satisfied and happy she took part in the competition, adding that she started participating in the sport in April.
She added that she entered for the competition to get exposure.
“’I have learnt to be focused and have no fear when on the table,’’ she said.
“I have been playing against older players and losing to them, but I am well motivated to do well in future competitions.
“’I have always loved the sport, but decided to enter for major competition now,” she said.
Oyeniyi commended the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation for providing the platform for junior players to play and gain experience from older and more experience players.
NAN reports that 23 clubs are taking part in the tournament which served off on Oct. 8 and will end on Oct. 18. (NAN) [eap_ad_3]