National junior champion, Tosin Oribamishe and Lagos Open revelation, Nurudeen Hassan will lead Team Nigeria to next month’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Junior Circuit (WJC) holding in Egypt.
Oribamishe, who won the Aso tournament recently in Abuja, will be joined by southpaw, Halimot Ayinla, Muibat Bello and two others in the girls’ event.
Hassan, whose performance at the 2015 Lagos Open is still a point of reference will be tasting his first international tournament outside the shore of Nigeria when he spearhead the boys’ team which include, African Youth Games (AYG) champion, Olasunkanmi Oginni as well as teenage sensation, Abayomi Animashaun.
Nigeria junior players will be returning to the world stage after missing the Mauritius Open last April and their presence in Egypt will surely give teams like Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria a tough challenge at the competition holding on June 8 to 12.
However, the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy is excited about the presence of Nigeria in Egypt. He was particularly thrilled by the new ultra modern hall that will host the five-day championship.
“Playing in a brand new venue “6 October” in Giza – Egypt quite closer to the Pyramids which will add some special taste to the event, and I am expecting bigger number of entries,” he said.
El-Salhy admits that this event would serve as a platform to unearth new stars for the continent.
“This kind of ITTF sanctioned event for sure is the main factory to build up our African players and to present them to the World scene. I have to thank the African countries hosting such events this year (Nigeria WT, Tunisia JC, Mauritius JC & now Egypt JC) while in the previous years we had also Morocco WT & Algeria JC,” he added.
“Till now, I know that Nigeria and the host – Egypt already sent entries, I am expecting more entries from the northern part (Libya, Tunisia & Algeria) plus possible entries from Congo Brazzaville & Angola. Also, as I said Egypt and Nigeria could do some good exposure, and I am putting eyes for Youssef Abdel-Aziz (EGY) in Cadet Boys & Tosin Oribamishe (NGR) in Cadet Girls,” he said.