Sports

ITTF Africa: Egypt oust Nigeria, retain mixed doubles title

Published

7 years ago

October 29, 2016

ITTF Africa: Egypt oust Nigeria, retain mixed doubles title

Nigeria’s duo of Segun Toriola and Olufunke Oshonaike could not withstand the superior firepower of the pair of Omar Assar and Dina Meshref who led Egypt to retain their mixed doubles title at the 2016 ITTF Africa Senior Championship in Morocco.

The match was a clash between youthfulness and experience with youthfulness prevailing over experience as Omar Assar and Dina Meshref overwhelmed the Nigerians 4-1 to hold on to the title they won in 2015.

A satisfied Meshref said: “I must admit that it was a bit difficult for us winning this title last year because we played the pair of Olufunke Oshonaike and Aruna Quadri in the quarterfinal and Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing and Saka Suraju in the semifinal. But this year, getting to the final was that hard and the final was not as easy as the result because we played against two of the most experienced players in Africa.”

For Toriola, playing against the youngsters was a bit difficult. “From the beginning I knew it was going to be hard for us because Oshonaike was worried and when it comes to rally we cannot withstand them because Oshonaike is a defensive player,”Toriola admitted.

However, in the men’s doubles final, Toriola said: “We must win at all cost having lost two gold medals to Egypt in this competition. I am confidence that with Aruna Quadri, Nigeria can retain the men’s doubles title.”

So far, Egypt has won three gold medals at stake after claiming the men and women team events as well as the mixed doubles titles.

The North Africa will contend again against Nigeria in the men’s doubles final while it will be an Egyptian affairs in the women doubles.

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