In less than two weeks after the national championship was held in Lagos, 32 table tennis players (16 men and 16 women) across the country will converge at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium on June 12 to compete in the N1.2m Lagos Top 16 Invitational Challenge prize money.
The one-day tournament is being organised by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) with technical support from the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA).
The aim is to sustain the momentum generated at the just concluded 2021 Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Championships.
Two of the best female table tennis players in the country, Fatimo Bello of G20 and Bose Odusanya of Lagos will continue their rivalry at the tournament.
Bello who has been unbeaten this year in all competitions having won the 20th National Sports Festival in Edo, Aso Cup Championship in Abuja and the NTTF National Championships in Lagos will be aiming to continue her dominance against Odusanya who is the only player to have beaten Bello in the team event of the National Championships.
Having put the disappointment of the National Championships behind them, Taiwo Mati of Ondo and Azeez Solanke of G20 will be aiming to avenge their final and semi-final losses to Rilwan Akanbi.
Among the stars listed for the championships is 2020 National Sports Festival Champion, Amadi Omeh of Ondo State as well as David Fayele of Lagos.
Also in the list of invited players is the 2021 World Table Tennis (WTT) Youth Star Contender silver medalist Usman Okanlawon as well as national cadet champions, Samuel Boboye of Bayelsa and Hope Uduaka of Cross River.
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