S’East Open Table Tennis Championship serves off in Enugu

The 2022 South East inuagural Open Table Tennis Championship served off in Enugu on Thursday, the second day, after the screening of players on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day championship which features veterans, single and cadet categories will end on Friday.

NAN also reports that Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and some tennis clubs within the region are competing at the event inside the Indoor Sports Hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The championship is organised by the Enugu Table Tennis Club (ETTC) in collaboration with the Enugu State Table Tennis Association (ETTA) and Enugu State Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The Chairman, Enugu Table Tennis Club, Dr Solomon Orji, stated that it was a dream come true for him and that the competition had really expanded beyond his imaginations.

Orji expressed gratitude to their several partners for their immense support and backings to ensure a successful event.

Ifeanyi Ugwuodo, Enugu State Table Tennis coach, threw more light on the prizes for each category.

He said the winner for cadet, those under 13 years, would go home with cash prize of N70,000, second would receive N50,000 while third would pocket 30,000.

The Men’s singles is N200,000; second, N120,000 and third position will recieve N80,000.

In Junior male and female, the first position would be rewarded with N70,000, second with N50,000 and third position with N30,000, while the grand prize for Veterans had yet to be determined by the organisers.

According to Ugwuodo, 104 players are participating with 31 players featuring in the Men’s single, Nine Junior girls, 22 Junior boys, 16 veterans and 26 cadets.

Representative of the Nigeria Table Table Federation (NTTF), Coach Niyi Oladipupo, said he believed that the championship would improve in subsequent editions.

He said that in spite of the hitches and delays during the screening exercise the event would serve its purpose of discovery and grooming of talents from the zone.

Oladipupo applauded the Local Organising Committe (LOC) for throwing its weight behind the event.(NAN)