Isau Ogunkunle and Olufemi Alabi, the medallists from the Paralympic Games, had a successful day yesterday in the 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, also called the Molade OKoya-Thomas Cup.
With remarkable victories in the para table tennis class, the pair at the championships held at Teslim Balogun Stadium’s Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall demonstrated why they are highly regarded in the sport.
Ogunkunle defeated fellow Paralympian Bolawa Akingbemisilu 3-1 to become the national champion in the Men’s Singles Class 1-5, and he became the sole African to earn a medal in the table tennis event at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
In a same vein, Alabi, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, defeated Abiola Adesope 3-1 to win the Class 6-10 title.
While Kate Oputa from Delta State dominated the Women’s Singles Class 1-5, defeating Taiwo Oyinloye of Kwara 3-1, Kehinde Lawal defeated Mariam Popoola 3-1 to take first place in the Women’s Singles Class 6-10.
Top seeds Matthew Kuti and Sukurat Aiyelabegan, meantime, have stated their resolve to leave their mark on the tournament. “I have been playing well in the last two months, winning the majority of the competitions,” said Kuti, who won a silver medal at the 2023 African Games.
I will do my best to prove myself when it counts most, but I don’t want to feel too comfortable. This is the inaugural national competition in 2025 and brings together the top players in the nation.
Similar remarks were made by Aiyelabegan, who acknowledged the difficult competition. “This is a very difficult competition, and the finest players are competing here. To win the title in Lagos, I’m sure I can step up my game,” she continued. The final matches are set for tomorrow, while the men’s and women’s singles quarterfinals will take place today.