Sports
Segun Toriola eyes Tokyo 2020
Nigeria’s Segun Toriola, who is now 42 years old, has expressed his determination to participate at the next Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
Toriola who was honoured at Rio 2016 as the first African to compete at seven Olympic Games is poised to make his eighth appearance at an Olympic Games.
“I am still one of the best in my sport despite my age and my consistency in table tennis which sees me playing in two top regular clubs in Europe would remain an added advantage for me as I continue to play in world class competitions,” Toriola insisted.
“Being 42 years old is one thing-being fit enough to continue playing top table tennis is another.” He continued, “I am very discipline and I religiously follow the things that will continue to aid my fitness in the game. Come Tokyo 2020, I will still be good to represent Nigeria in top grade international competitions until after the Tokyo Olympics.”
He added that Aruna Quadri’s feat in Rio will inspire a younger generation of Nigerians to take up the sport.
“With the emergence of Aruna Quadri, I can now retire peacefully with the rest of mind that, there is somebody worth the salt who can continue from where I stop, but this won’t happen until after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I am still very active and even the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation have asked me to continue,” added Toriola.
“Some countries approached me in Rio to take up the full-time job as national team coach, but I turned all the requests down as I am not ready to quit.”
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