Abdulfatai, Udoaka Claim Titles At 2025 National Table Tennis Championships In Osun

Abdulfatai, Udoaka Claim Titles At 2025 National Table Tennis Championships In Osun 

Ibrahim Lateef

Kwara's Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Cross River's Hope Udoaka emerged as champions at the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships, held in the historic town of Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

Abdulfatai had a smooth journey to the final, as the defending champions were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

He defeated giant-killer Matthew Fabunmi with a convincing 4-0 victory (12-10, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7) to lift the Men’s Singles title.

In the Women’s Singles final, Udoaka showcased her skills, defeating veteran Halima Hussain from Oyo 4-1 (11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7) to claim the championship.

In the U-15 categories, Ifeoluwa Ajasa from Lagos triumphed over Deborah Faleye from Edo 3-1 (11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7) to win the girls’ title, while Marvelous Joseph from Kogi defeated Umar Ayoola from Osun 3-1 (11-9, 11-2, 10-12, 11-8) to become the boys' champion.

Tournament referee John Peter described this year's event as unique, blending table tennis with entertainment, as participants enjoyed performances by various artists each day.

“The 5th edition of the Michael and Felicia Alabi Table Tennis Festival was a combination of play and fun. The standard of play kept rising from stage to stage, culminating in the ousting of the defending champions in both the Men's and Women's Singles during the quarterfinals. Most of the 15 events saw new champions emerge, and a new dimension was added to the organization, with university students volunteering and assisting in various areas,” Peter said.

The grand finale of the five-day tournament was attended by the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, along with the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and the royal leader of Otan Ayegbaju, HRM Ọba Adesola Ojo Fadipe, among other notable personalities.

The N11.5 million prize money was sanctioned by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and organized by the Osun State Table Tennis Association.

The event attracted players from various states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Taraba, Nasarawa, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, and the host state, Osun.

Clubs such as Aruna Sports Club, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force also participated in the national ranking championships.