Junior sensation, Olajide Omotayo, at the weekend claimed his first senior title to go home with a brand new car at the 45th Asoju Oba Cup table tennis championship.
Also, ageing Tolu Durosimi-Etti’s years of toil was rewarded when she claimed the women’s title to smile home with a brand new Chevrolet car.
In the final played at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos State in the presence of the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, Omotayo, who is at present captaining Team Nigeria at the International Table Tennis Federation-organised World Junior Championships, was in his best form against defending champion, Mojeed Olayiwola.
Without any fear, Omotayo played to his best form against the tournament’s number one seed, claiming the first three games to lead at 3-0.
However, in the fourth game, Olayiwola fought hard to win but his win became a waste when Omotayo finished up the match in the fifth game to win at 4-1 to the admiration of the fans.
With his father present at the venue, Omotayo was so excited, saying he has never doubted his ability to win the tournament having edged out the likes of Ayo Omotara as well as National Sports Festival champion, Hammed Adeyinka, on his way to the final.
He said: “I am so happy and I think the training we have been having in readiness of the ITTF World Junior Championships really helped me to be in my best form and I am so excited that I followed my words with action by winning the title.
“I thank God and I hope this will spur me on to do well in Morocco.”
In the women’s final, Durosimi-Etti also defeated Taiwo Williams 4-1 to claim her first title in the tournament having played second fiddle in previous tournaments.
Speaking during the handing over of the cars to the champions, Governor Fashola lauded the players for giving their best.
He commended the sponsor, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, for his immense contribution to sports and table tennis specifically, saying: “Chief Okoya-Thomas is an inspiration to this country and we remain grateful to him.”
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