G20 Table Tennis Club of Abuja and Ondo State have emerged champions in the team event of the 2021 Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Championships taking place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
It was National Sports Festival champion Fatimo Bello who inspired the G20 ladies into victory over Lagos State in the women’s final while Azeez Solanke spearheaded their men’s onslaught against Ondo.
In the men’s final, Ondo were down 2-0 in the singles after Azeez Solanke and Ahmed Bello defeated Amadi Omeh and Taiwo Mati 3-2 each but the doubles partner of Wale Fagbamila and Mati restored the match for Ondo with a convincing 3-2 win over the pair of Solanke and Bello in the doubles match.
Mati continued his good run with a nail-biting tie against Solanke with the Ondo number one having an edge with a 3-2 win to put the tie at 2-2 major.
In the deciding match between Bello and Amadi, it was the Ondo star that aided the victory with a 3-2 win to give Ondo a 3-2 overall win.
For the victory, G20 and Ondo have fetched themselves the N200,000 star prize for team champions.
Meanwhile, the tournament enters day three on Thursday, May 20, with matches in the singles event.
The group matches of the singles were concluded on Wednesday, May 19 while the knockout round of the singles will take center stage as well as doubles and mixed doubles event in men and women categories.
The tournament is organized by NTTF in collaboration with the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).