Nigeria secured a full house of titles at the ITTF Value Jet Lagos Para Open 2023, a factor 20 tournament for World ranking points, play concluding after three days of action on Saturday 14th October.
The player to enjoy the greatest success was Bolawa Akingbemisilu.
Following success in men’s singles class 5, he partnered Egbinola Oluade to gold in men’s doubles class 4-8 and Chineye Obiora to the top prize in mixed doubles class 10.
Success in the men’s doubles meant that Egbinola Oluade departed with two titles, the previous day he had won men’s singles class 1-3.
Likewise, it was two titles for Abiola Adesope and Temitore Adris; Abiola Adesope partnered Aishat Rajii to mixed doubles class 20 gold, having the previous day prevailed in men’s singles class 6-7.
Rather differently, Temitore Adris proved the ideal partner. She joined forces with Precious Okanfor to win women’s doubles class 14-20 and allied with Tajudeen Akunbiade to claim the mixed doubles class 14-17 title.
Success for Abiola Adesope meant he repeated his feat of the previous month when he had emerged successful at the ITTF Africa Para Championships in Giza and had thus booked his place in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
It was the same outcome for four of his male colleagues. In the men’s singles Isau Ogunkule won class 4, Kayode Alabi prevailed in class 6, Victor Farinloye emerged the victor in class 8, Alabi Olufemi succeeded in class 10.
Not to be overshadowed, in the women’s singles, Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi maintained her Giza form to claim the class 4-5 title.
Meanwhile, in the remaining women’s singles events, it was success for players trying to establish themselves on the international stage.
Nosimot Baniu won class 1-3, Kafayat Olaitan succeeded in class 6-8, Maryam Popoola in class 9-10.
In the one remaining title to be decided, Tajudeeb Agunbiade and Francis Chukwuemeka claimed gold in men’s doubles class 14-18.
Play concluded in Lagos, attention now turns to the ITTF Asian Para Games 2022, a five-day tournament commences in the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Monday 23rd October.
