Sports
TABLE TENNIS: Egypt beat Nigeria to Tokyo 2020 Olympics tickets
The Nigerian table tennis teams will not be in action at next year’s Olympic Games after they failed to qualify for the games.
The battle between the bigwigs in African table tennis brought out the best in Nigeria and Egypt at the 12th African Games, with Egypt securing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games tickets in the men and women events after emerging as continental champions.
Egypt now becomes the first country to berth in Tokyo and was also rewarded with two gold medals to increase the medal haul of Egypt in Morocco.
It was the Egyptian ladies that first secured their slot after beating Nigeria 3-2 in the final.
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The Nigerian ladies were down 2-0 but spirited efforts from Edem Offiong and Olufunke Oshonaike to put the match at par with the Egyptians were thwarted by the African Champion Dina Meshref in the fifth match, which was deciding as she beat Cecilia Akpan 3-0 to hand Egypt the gold medal.
Just like it happened in the women, the same scenario played out in the men’s category as Nigeria had to come from 2-0 down to level up at 2-2.
The sheer determination from Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo restored Nigeria into the match, but Omar Assar avoided what played out in 2015 when he dismissed veteran Segun Toriola who is aiming for an eighth Olympic Games appearance with a 3-0 bashing.
“I am so happy that we were able to achieve our dream of avenging the 2015 loss in 2019,” said Ahmed Saleh of Egypt.
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