Lagos, June 29, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) says the newly introduced National Women Singles Open Championship will hold a quarterly event.
Ishaku Tikon, President of NTTF and sponsor of the championship, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the initiative was to strengthen female players.
Tikon said there was a wide gap between the male and female players, adding “it is not healthy and will not yield expected credible performances of national teams in international tournaments”.
“Coaches and players have been showing commitment in training, which ironically is yielding results in male players, especially in their performance in international tournaments which inspired me to initiate this championship.
“This is the maiden edition, and I can see the excitement, joy and zeal of participation in the girls. So, I will make sure that this championship holds every quarter.
“I am optimistic that with the consistency of our girls in this championship, they will develop competition spirit, which will extensively improve their skills toward better performances in international tournament,” he said.
Tikon said that the newly introduced female championship would also be used for identifying talents and build national female teams ahead of international tournaments, being part of the reasons for the programme.
According to him, the quarterly championship will create an enabling environment for national ranking as it is a measure to regularly checkmate status of the female players.
“It’s open for all categories of female players; and we expect them to showcase their talents as we look out to promising players that can build formidable national teams in their categories.
“The players will be inspired to do more in their schedules, knowing fully well there will be a competition ground to regularly evaluate their forms and improve their national ranking,” he added.
The NTTF boss said he was thrilled by the performances put up by the female players in the ongoig championship which featured 64 participants from across the country.
Tikon added that the N600,000 monetary reward for winners of the championship was to encourage them.
He urged them to regularly improve their national ranking as the championship holds.
NAN reports that the 2019 NTTF organised National Women Singles Open Championship sponsored by Tikon, features the likes of Ganiyat Quadri, Cecelia Akpan-Otu,Tosin Oribamise, Agnes Onoja, Bello Fatimo, among others. (NAN)
MIL/JPE/GOK
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Olagoke Olatoye
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