Commonwealth gold-medalist Blessing Oborududu (68kg) and 2018 African champion Ekerekeme Agiomor (86kg) have both talked of their chances of winning medals for ‘Team Nigeria’ at the wrestling event of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The duo are part of five wrestlers that are flying Nigeria’s flag at the delayed Summer Games in Tokyo. After an intensive camping exercise for over two months, 10-time African champion Oborududu, who would be making her third appearance at the quadrennial Games, believes now is the time to make a difference, after failing to land a medal at her two previous attempts. The former world number two said she is a better wrestler now, dispelling any form of pressure ahead of the Tokyo Games. “A lot has changed, the mindset and more tournaments that I have attended, as well as training I have undertaken will give me an edge in Tokyo. I know that there will be a difference in this Olympics and I am not going to disappoint my self and country. I want to say that , I don’t have any pressure. I’m calm and I pray that God should crown my effort with success at the Olympics.” For Olympic debutant Agiomor, the only male wrestler in the team, he is not in Tokyo to make up the numbers. Agiomor said he is poised to ‘create record’ at the Games. “I’m not just going to Tokyo for jamboree. I m going there for serious business and I don’t only want to achieve success in Japan but to create record and that’s my target,” he disclosed. “ I have equally trained well. It’s only God that will fight for me, because during the Olympic qualifiers, this was how I trained and kept myself to qualify and I believe with God I can do something better in Tokyo.” Oborududu and Agiomor, as well as Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg), Aminat Adeniyi (62kg) and youngster Adijat Idris (50kg) would be attempting to win Nigeria her first wrestling medal (s) at the Olympics, when competition gets underway in wrestling from August 1-7.
…As Team Nigeria captain, Quadri rues early exit
Team Nigeria’s captain to the Tokyo Olympic Games, Aruna Quadri has lamented his ouster from the Tokyo Olympics saying he has disappointed Sports Minister Sunday Dare who deserves more for his efforts in turning Nigerian Sports around. Quadri who became Africa’s first Ping Ponger to play in the quarter finals of the Rio Olympics in Brazil was bundled out in his third round after being drawn bye by Brazilian Gustavo Tsuboi 4-2 (15-13, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11). Much was expected from the Nigerian but he succumbed to the Brazilian who was lowly ranked to him. “Without doubt, Sports Minister Dare has done a lot to change sports and athletes welfare in his short time. His adopt an athlete initiative has impacted so much on many athletes. I feel disappointed I could not get a medal to say thank you”, Quadri said at the Games village mix zone in Tokyo. Continuing he said; “ If I’m to say the truth the Sports Minister has done very well. I have played at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Africa Games. During his time, no Minister in the past has done what he’s doing. I feel disappointed”, Quadri said. He however confessed that his Brazilian opponent was better than him. “That’s sports for you. I am a better player than him in ranking but he played very much better to win. You know anyone in top 100 can spring a surprise at any time. I did not underrate him because we play in Bundesliga and I know what he’s capable of doing. It’s not the end of life. We’ll continue to work to see what will happen in future”. With his defeat, all Team Nigeria’s Table Tennis players have all been knocked out from the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo 2020: Oshonaike happy without medals …Joins Olympics table tennis Club 7
Nigerian table tennis legend Funke Oshonaike may not have won any Olympic medal, but the table tennis queen is leaving Tokyo a very happy lady. Oshonaike who was officially recognised as a member of the exclusive club of ping pong players who have competed in seven Olympic Games said the honor is one that has gladdened her heart. Oshonaike was presented with a plaque early last week to officially mark her induction into the exclusive club, making her the first woman in the world of table tennis to receive such an honor. Only four other table tennis players, all of whom were men, had previously reached such Olympic heights since table tennis became an Olympic sport at the Seoul Games in 1988. One of those on that exclusive list is former Nigerian and African champion, Segun Toriola, who became the first non-European table tennis player to compete at seven Olympics when he competed at the Rio 2016 Games. Toriola made his Olympic debut as a 24-year-old at the Barcelona ‘92 Games, four years before Oshonaike made her Olympic Games debut at the Atlanta ‘96 Games. Speaking after receiving her plaque at a brief ceremony in which the other Club 7 inductees Persson, Primorac, Saive, and Toriola were in attendance, Oshonaike hoped the honour would “brighten the hearts of Nigerians.” “I hope this award for me and my country, as the only girl in the seventh club in the world, and the only woman in Africa to have achieved the dream of representing her country at the Olympics seven times, will brighten the hearts of Nigerians. “Funke is very happy. Thanks to Nigeria and thanks to the Minister,” she said, referring to Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Sports and Social Development, Sunday Dare. “Though I might not have won gold, silver or bronze, but I have won what no woman in the world of table tennis has ever won. Thank God for the award – the 7 Club award. I’m a proud Nigerian [and I] hope more women will join me,” added the 46-year-old who was 20 when she played her first match for Nigeria at the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics in the women’s doubles, partnering Bose Kaffo in a match against Russia. Oshonaike lost out in the first round in Tokyo, losing to Liu Juan of the United States in the women’s singles.