Bayelsa clinch mixed doubles crown at 2025 table tennis tourney
Unseeded pair Samuel Boboye and Iyanuoluwa Falana pulled off a remarkable feat on Wednesday, April 30, by capturing the mixed doubles title at the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State. Their victory marked a major highlight in the five-day event, which is sanctioned by the Nigeria […]
bayelsa clinch mixed doubles crown at 2025 table tennis tourney
Unseeded pair Samuel Boboye and Iyanuoluwa Falana pulled off a remarkable feat on Wednesday, April 30, by capturing the mixed doubles title at the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.
Their victory marked a major highlight in the five-day event, which is sanctioned by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and organized by the Osun State Table Tennis Association.
The championship drew players from across the country, including representatives from states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and the host, Osun, as well as prominent clubs such as Aruna Sports Club, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force.
Boboye and Falana, representing Bayelsa State, stunned the tournament’s second seeds—Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Sukurat Aiyelabegan of Kwara—with a 3-1 (11-1, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7) win in the final. They credited their success to staying focused and composed under pressure, and vowed to continue bringing glory to Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region.
In another shock result, the U-15 boys’ singles saw top seed Ayoola Usman of Aruna Club crash out in the round of 16. Lagos’ Solomon Oyenekan delivered a flawless performance to dispatch the favourite 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-8), advancing to the quarterfinals as one of the tournament’s standout performers.
With the tournament set to conclude on Friday, May 2, competition for the N11.5 million prize pool and prestigious titles is heating up. The absence of reigning men’s singles national champion Matthew Kuti—who is currently preparing for an international event—adds intrigue, potentially opening the door for a new champion.