The defending champion of the annual Molade Okoya Thomas table tennis championship Rilwan Akanbi has said emerging junior table tennis players will pose a threat against the senior players at the tourney which serves off today.
Akanbi defeated Azeez Solanke 4-3 to claim his first major singles title in the men’s category at the last edition, while seven times defending champion, Bose Odusanya, won in the ladies’ cadre by beating Fatimo Bello 4-2.
Ahead of this edition billed to hold inside the indoor sports hall at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Akanbi was pessimistic over defending his title, saying that the game would be competitive and junior players would create upset.
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“I wish to defend it back-to-back, I have prepared and practised so much for this tournament and I believe in my practising, there is no fear in me, so I just have to play and give it my best.
“Though, some players have left Lagos State for other states, so is a challenge for me because the junior players have already improved, so the challenges are between the senior and the junior team because they have improved like Muiz Adegoke, Abdullahi, so I believe is a game of 50-50, so any body that win, good luck to him, is going to be a competitive match,” he said.
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