Valuejet PTT Open May Be Listed On ITTF Calendar In 2020

There are strong indications that the just concluded Valuejet Para Table Tennis (PTT) Open may be listed on the ITTF event calendar in 2020.

Impressed with the organisation coupled with the standard of play at the maiden edition of the tournament held at Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Agunbiade after the victory at the weekend.

The ITTF Nomination Committee Chairman and President, ITTF Africa, (Western Region), Wahid Oshodi disclosed there are efforts to convince the world table tennis ruling body to ensure that Nigeria joins the list of countries hosting a major PTT tournament across the globe.

Oshodi, who is the LOC Chairman of Africa’s elite table tennis tournament – Nigeria Open, believes that with the support of Valuejet coupled with the experienced personnel in the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), the tournament may be considered for next year.

Like Oshodi, the President of Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, who was in Lagos for the three-day tournament said the continent body is convinced that Nigeria has the wherewithal to stage a befitting international tournament having witnessed what happened last week in Lagos.

“The Valuejet PTT Open will open doors for Para Athletes in Nigeria and in Africa to have a special event with top professional organisation, media coverage and good prize money similar to other world events.

” ATTF had already opened the link with ITTF to get this tournament listed on the ITTF Calendar for 2020 after checking that all professional standard has been met. We are convinced that Nigeria has big experience in sports and specially table tennis as well. I believe it is this that attract sponsors to their events. I will like to use this opportunity to thank the management Valuejet on behalf of ATTF Executive Committee for their efforts to support NTTF and our table tennis family in Africa through the sponsoring of the tournament,” the ATTF boss said.

The Egyptian was also impressed with the turnout of teams across Africa which he said would motivate top class players to attend the tournament in near future.

“With what I saw in Lagos that top PTT African players with the large turnout of Nigerian players and high standard of play, I am sure it will start attracting many top players worldwide as soon as it is listed on ITTF calendar, hopefully next yeear,” El-Salhy added.

Lagos Comes Alive For Maiden Vaulejet Para Table Tennis Open

The much-anticipated Valuejet Para Table Tennis Open serves off on Thursday December 19 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos with hundreds of players aiming to share from the N10.8m purse.

Apart from Nigeria, eight African countries are in Lagos for the three-day tournament which ends on Saturday December 21st 2019.

Commonwealth silver medalist, Faith Obazuaye

Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana will compete in the 44 events tournament for players in class 1 to 10. The hundreds of players will compete in singles, team and doubles events.

For Rio Paralympian, Ahmed Koleosho, the tournament would provide the players the platform to compete against their foreign counterparts, particularly the local players who are yet to compete at a higher level of the game. “I am so excited that we are hosting this kind of competition and I am hoping and believing that we will make Nigeria proud. It will surely give upcoming players the opportunity to compete against their more experienced counterparts,” the Tokyo 2020-bound paralympian said.

For the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon, staging the tournament would help players that had already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games to tune up for the sports fiesta in Japan come next year.

“This is a good development for table tennis in Nigeria and we are grateful to our sponsor – Valuejet for deeming it fit to support the championship. We are excited and we can wait for the tournament to kick off as our aim is to make it a ranking event by 2020 on the ITTF calendar. This is another first from NTTF and we hope our players and visitors will enjoy the warmth of Lagos and Nigeria during the competition,” the NTTF boss said.

Rio 2016 Paralympian, Ahmed Koleosho of Nigeria

According to the project consultant, Sunday Odebode, the aim of the tournament was to expose the players to a world class tournament particularly as they are expected to compete against some of the best players in Africa.

“We want to use this competition to develop para table tennis in Nigeria while also promoting the talents of the players. We believe this tournament will enhance the sport as well as give us leverage to stage and be listed among the ITTF tournament in the near future. Our players will also be exposed to competition amongst themselves and other players coming to Nigeria for the championship,” Odebode said.

Ahead of the start of the tournament on Thursday December 19th, from December 16 to 18, an ITTF classifier, Elsayed Mehrem arrived Lagos to classify some of the Nigerian players to their various classes