Competing on home soil, Nigeria presents the strongest representation at the forthcoming ITTF Valuejet Lagos Para Open 2023, a factor 20 tournament for World ranking points, a three-day event, play commences on Thursday 12th October.
Seven Nigerian players who struck gold at the recent ITTF African Para Championships staged in September compete.
In the men’s singles Isau Ogunkele (class 4), Bolawa Akingbemisiu (class 5), Kayode Alabi (class 6) and Victor Farinloye (class 8) are all named on the entry list compete, as are colleagues Abiola Adesope (class 9) and Alabi Olufemi (class 10).
Meanwhile, for the women, Ifechukwunde Ikpeoyi (class 5) will be on duty.
Victor Farinloye, 48 years old and Alabi Olufemi, two years the senior, are very much the voices of experience.
At the African Para Championships staged in 2011 in Ismailia and in 2019 in Alexandria, both secured men’s singles titles.
One step lower in 2019, Isau Ogunkunle was a silver medallist, for the remaining members of the Nigerian group, recent success in Giza was their first continental success.
However, in recent times Bolawa Akingbemisiu has very much proved his worth, additional to his gold medal at the 2023 African Para Championships, earlier this year in March he was a men’s singles silver medallist at the ITTF Lignano Masters Para Open.
Similarly in August, Ifechukwunde Ikpeoyi was a silver medallist in Riyadh.
Nigeria very much to the fore, from South Africa there is one visitor of particular note, the name of Theo Cogill (class 10) appears on the entry list, at the African Para Championships in both 2011 and 2019 he was a men’s singles silver medallist.
Play commences in Lagos with the men’s singles and women’s singles events.
