Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games bronze medallist, Olufemi Alabi, delivered Nigeria’s first gold medal at the ongoing ITTF World Para Future tournament in Jordan.
Also, Paris 2024 bronze medallist, Isau Ogunkunle, is spearheading the country’s pursuit of further glory.
An eight-member Nigerian contingent—comprising five men and three women—arrived in Jordan over the weekend to compete for vital ranking points ahead of the African Championships later this year. The trip, backed by the National Sports Commission (NSC), marks their first major competitive outing since the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
Ogunkunle, Africa’s only table tennis medallist at the Paris Paralympics, began the Men’s Class 4-5 event in style, securing dominant 3-0 victories over Jordan’s Ahmad Sabra and South Africa’s Tankiso Hata. His performance earned him a bye to the semifinals.
Dominant displays across the board
Bolawa Akingbemisilu was equally impressive in Group 3, cruising past India’s Abhishek Singh, Kuwait’s Ahmad Alotaibi, and Jordan’s Issa Hamad—all in straight sets—to seal a place in the knockout stage.
In Men’s Class 9, both Abiola Adesope and veteran Tajudeen Agunbiade remained unbeaten in their group matches and advanced to the knockout rounds.
Alabi, meanwhile, powered his way to gold in Men’s Class 10, topping a tough four-man group by defeating competitors from Iraq, India, and Indonesia.
Strong showing by the women
In the women’s events, Kate Oputa bounced back from a narrow 2-3 loss to Jordan’s Khetam Abuawad to defeat India’s Ushabahen Rathod 3-1 in Group 2 of Class 4-5, earning a spot in the knockout phase.
Faith Obazuaye and Kehinde Lawal also impressed, both topping their groups in Class 9-10 to progress into the knockout rounds.
Eyes on more medals
The Nigerian team, coached by Nosiru Sule and Gbenga Olanipekun, will be aiming for more podium finishes when the knockout matches begin on Monday, April 14. The tournament will conclude on Tuesday, April 15, with expectations high for more medals as Team Nigeria builds momentum ahead of a crucial year in para table tennis.
