Top-seeded female table tennis player Bose Odusanya has stated her uncertainty in participating in the next editions of the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup which she has won 9th time consecutively. In an interview with Trust Sports, she expressed her desire to represent Nigeria at the Olympics as well as the Commonwealth Games.
Recently, you won the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup for the ninth time. How do you feel about winning it?
I am so excited about winning this edition. I am grateful.
Before featuring in this 55th edition, do you have it settled in your mind that you remain undefeated?
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I thought I should try my best because I just gave birth. I am a nursing mother, so I just trained to throw myself into the ring if I am able to win again and I thank God for winning this tournament again.
Do you have an ambition to play next year?
I don’t know yet because I would like to travel out to play in a professional league by God’s grace next year, so I don’t know.
What is your winning secret to remain undefeated since 2015?
It is because I don’t relent. Whenever I am preparing for this event, I use to train hard.
But will you describe this tournament as an easy ride for you?
No, it was not easy for me because I was nearly defeated in the quarter-finals by God help me. So it is not that I can’t lose but I myself train hard and I don’t underrate anybody because everybody for this competition train as well.
You have been dominating in the women’s singles category in the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup since 2015, so what has delayed you not traveling since all these years?
I just got married and gave birth. But then I have travelled to China, Cameroon and many countries to represent Nigeria.
Can you take us through your journey of becoming a table tennis player?
To start with, I love sports generally and I sincerely have passion for it. I don’t only play table tennis. I love playing football as well. But one fateful day I saw a girl named Ayo Udoh playing table tennis in Shomolu, Lagos. I approached her to express my interest in learning the sport.
She gladly accepted my request and took me to her training venue inside Shomolu local development. So that was the genesis of my voyage in table tennis and then I was in 2008 because I remember I was still in SS2 in Agnes Memorial Senior High School.
Since your early stage in table tennis in 2008, till now, what has been the achievement for you?
I have achieved a lot of things because I play in national competitions and I used to win and also in competitions like the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup, formerly known as Asoju-Oba, Sports Festival.
You have nine gold medals in the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup, how many medals have you won in all the competitions you mentioned?
I attended three National Sports Festivals. If I can recall, I should have won close to nine medals from both single, doubles categories ranging from Gold, Silver and bronze.
What have been the challenges for you playing table tennis?
The challenge has been lack of support because the equipment used for table tennis are very expensive. So as table tennis players, we need people to help us.
Part of the infrastructure we need includes tables. We do not have enough. When you get to the national stadium, there is not enough equipment, and we need them to improve our games.
Comparing foreign players with Nigeria’s players, how will you rate the country’s players?
The gap between foreign players and us in Nigeria is very far because they have some equipment. They have boards and some many things but here in Nigeria, we struggle to have things.
The rubber that we used to play with is almost N50,000. Some of Nigeria’s players do not have money to afford it but players abroad, they have sponsors. But we don’t have one. We struggle with ourselves.
As a mother, do you have it in mind to allow your child to play table tennis?
I don’t know if my child will play table tennis or not. I have not thought about it.
Your husband is also your coach, it seems your house is sports-engulfed.
My husband is a sportsman, that is why he always supports me because he is a wrestler and a soldier but he does play table tennis professionally.
So, will you say the support you get from your husband encourages you to do more?
Yes, his support is a source of encouragement to me.
Do you have dominated locally and a bit nationally, what is your vision to replicate this dominance in the continent and globally as a table tennis player?
I do not have the opportunity of traveling abroad to play because sometimes after doing well in trials, the coaches still select their choices, so they get to take some of us like some they select for Olympics, All Africa Games.
For me, I have not participated in the Olympics or commonwealth games but if I am selected, I will perform and do my best for any of these competitions.
So, why do you think you have not been selected for the Commonwealth or All-Africa Games?
I don’t know. It is the choice of the board members but sometimes we do trials and they do not follow the result from it. What they tell us is that they have selected the best. During the last Commonwealth trial, I finished fourth position but they selected the first three behind me and other professional players.
What is your advice to young table tennis players?
My advice to them is to train hard, get focus and ensure they combine education and sports together.
