Bose Odusanya continued her record-setting streak at the annual Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, securing her 10th consecutive Women’s Singles title at the 56th edition of Africa’s longest-running table tennis tournament over the weekend in Lagos.
Despite being seeded fourth, Odusanya raised her game to breeze her way into the final, where she defeated Amina Fashola of NSCDC 4-1 (8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8), becoming the first player in the competition’s history to claim 10 consecutive titles.
A delighted Odusanya described this year’s win as the toughest, noting it was the first time the tournament was played as a national event. She commended her opponent for putting up a good fight in the entertaining final.
Meanwhile, national champion Matthew Kuti also maintained his unbeaten run, winning his first senior Men’s Singles title at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Kwara’s Abbulbasit Abdulfatai.
Kuti, the men’s top seed, rallied to beat his left-handed opponent with a commanding 4-1 (7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9) win, emerging as the new Men’s Singles champion.
For Kuti, winning the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup title adds to his numerous titles in the country. He also praised the family of the tournament’s initiator for making it a national event.
In the U-15 finals, Usman Ayoola of Oyo State and Chinenye Okafor claimed the boys’ and girls’ titles. Ayoola defeated his Oyo State counterpart Ahmed Ayatullahi 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 12-10) to lift the boys’ title, while Abia’s Okafor, who was on the brink of defeat after taking a 2-0 lead, calmly claimed another national victory with a 3-2 (11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 3-11, 11-8) win to be crowned the girls’ U-15 champion.
In her remarks, Ogun State First Lady Mrs. Abiodun lauded the family of the late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas for their dedication to the annual event, particularly for making it a national event. She also envisioned the tournament going international, given its status as Africa’s longest-running table tennis tournament.
Deji Okoya-Thomas promised to continue improving the quality of the tournament, encouraged by the turnout and quality of play in its first year as a national event.