SIX-TIME Olympian, Segun Toriola would on Satuday (August 31) attempt to add a chapter to the history of table tennis in Nigeria as he steps out for the men's singles final of the Lagos International Table Tennis Classics billed for the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
He has the reigning African champion and tournament's number one seed, Omar Assar of Egypt to
contend with in the battle for the coveted shield and 6,000 dollars at stake.
Toriola, who lost in the final of the 2011 All Africa Games in Mozambique to Assar would as well use Saturday's clash to avenge the loss suffered in Mozambique aside becoming the first player to lift the Africa's highest money-spinning tournament.
The Egyptian defeated Saka Suraju of Congo Brazzaville 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5 while Toriola dumped kinsman. Kazeem Makanjuola, 11-3, 3-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9.
Interestingly, it will be an all-Nigerian affair as Edem Offiong tackles Cecilia Otu-Akpan in the women's singles final.
Offiong dismissed four-time Olympian, Funke Oshonaike 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6 in the semi-final while Otu-Akpan outstroked tournament's number one seed Han Xing of Congo Brazzaville 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 10-12, 12-10, 4-11.
Meanwhile, Nigeria had a clean sweep of gold medals in all the finals decided earlier today.
The duo of Offiong and Otu-Akpan defeated Xing and Onyiyechi Nwachukwu also of Congo 9-11,
11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7 in the final of the women's doubles, while Kazeem Makanjuola and Jide
Ogidiolu dumped fellow kinsmen, Aruna Quadri and Seun Ajetunmobi 12-14, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8 to claim the men's doubles title.
In the junior category, the duo of Azeez Ogunlade and Ayo Udo dismissed Bolaji Shobayo and Bose Odusanya 11-9, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7 in the mixed doubles final, just as the duo of Odusanya and Onyiyechi Mba dumped Esther Tosin Oribamise and Agnes Onoja 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 to clinch the doubles title.
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All the results
Road to final, Men's singles
Round of 32
Egypt’s Omar Assar df Nigeria’s Olabisi Yusuf 11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8
Nigeria’s Segun Toriola df Nigeria’s David Fayele 11-3, 11-5, 11-4, 11-1
Congo Brazzaville’s Saka Suraju df Nigeria’s Lanre Aremu 5-11, 11-8,
11-9, 12-10, 11-5
Nigeria’s Kazeem Makanjuola df Nigeria’s Mayowa Babatunde 11-7, 11-8,
11-8, 11-7
Round of 16
Egypt’s Omar Assar df Nigeria’s Adekunle Adeosun 11, 4, 11-2, 11-5,
11-8
Nigeria’s Segun Toriola df Nigeria’s Kayode Adedeji 11,7, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9
Congo Brazzaville’s Saka Suraju df Italy’s Mihai Bobocica 8-11, 11-13,
13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9
Nigeria’s Kazeem Makanjuola df Nigeria’s Akinwale Fagbamila 13-11,
8-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8
Quarterfinal
Egypt’s Omar Assar df Nigeria’s Seun Ajetunmobi 11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 14-12
Nigeria’s Segun Toriola df Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu 11-7, 6-11,
11-1, 11-2, 11-8
Congo Brazzaville’s Saka Suraju df Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri 7-11, 11-6,
2-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
Nigeria’s Kazeem Makanjuola df Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo 11-8, 12-10,
7-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-13, 11-6
Semi-final
Egypt’s Omar Assar df Congo Brazzaville’s Saka Suraju, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5
Nigeria’s Segun Toriola df Nigeria’s Kazeem Makanjuola, 11-3, 3-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9
Women's singles
Round of 16
Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing df Congo Brazzaville’s 10-12, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2
Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike df Congo DRC’s Ammadine Litobaka 11-8, 11-7,
11-7, 11-4
Nigeria’s Cecilia Otu-Akpan df Nigeria’s Tolu Durosimi-Etti 11-7, 11-6,
11-7, 11-6
Nigeria’s Edem Offiong df Nigeria’s Halimat Hussain 11-4, 11-1, 12-10,
9-11, 7-11, 12-10
Quarterfinal
Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing df Nigeria’s Itoro Akpan 11-3, 11-4, 11-2, 11-9
Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike df Nigeria’s Ganiyat Ogundele 4-11, 11-7,
11-4, 13-11, 3-11, 11-9
Nigeria’s Cecilia Otu-Akpan df Nigeria’s Ganiyat Olatunde 11-3, 11-5,
11-5, 11-9
Nigeria’s Edem Offiong df Nigeria’s Olaide Atinuke 13-11, 11-9, 11-8,
11-7
Semi-final
Nigeria’s Cecilia Otu-Akpan df Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 10-12, 12-10,
4-11
Nigeria’s Edem Offiong df Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6
Caption: Nigeria's Segun Toriola (L), can he conquer African champion, Omar Assar on Saturday?
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