All is now set for the 2017 Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Open cum Commonwealth Games trials scheduled to hold between December 11 and 16 at the National Stadium in Lagos.
According to the Assistant Secretary of NTTF, Adedayo Adeosun, athletes would compete for honours in 18 events including para athletes who will compete in eight events for men and women.
For the national open, more than N2m will at stake for prize money at the five-day tournament with Sola Oyetayo and Cecilia Otu-Akpan hoping to retain the titles they won last year.
Meanwhile, with less than five months to the kick-off of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, NTTF has called up 47 players for the first phase of trials holding.
The invited players include 30 able and 17 para athletes that are expected to jostle for places in the teams to the multi-sports championships holding on April 4 to 15 in 2018.
Among the invited players include national champion, Sola Oyetayo, Jamiu Azeez, Joshua Oladiran, Hassan Nurudeen, Ahemd Adeyinka, Tobi Falana, Azeez Solanke, Rilwan Akanbi as well as national junior sensation, Abayomi Animasahun.
The female players will be led by Cecilia Otu-Akpan as well as Tosin Oribamise among others.
The para athletes will be led by Paralympians Taju Agunbiade and Femi Alabi.
The first phase of camping for the Commonwealth Games takes off on December 17 at the NTTF Training Centre of National Stadium in Lagos. The trial is in line with the plan of the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the Commonwealth Games.
Over 40 nations will compete in the table tennis event at Oxenford Studios in Gold Coast with nine titles at stake.
The table tennis event serves off on April 5 to 14.
Nigeria claimed bronze medal in the men’s team event of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the male team have always contributed to Nigeria’s medal haul at the games.
