Solanke, Bello claim glory in ITTF Western Region Championship mixed doubles
Boboye defeats defending champion again in singles event
Nigeria’s duo of Azeez Solanke and Fatimo Bello have won gold in the mixed doubles event at the ongoing ITTF Western Region Championship in the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
Solanke and national female champion Fatimo Bello defeated their younger and less-experienced compatriots Orok Etim and Vivian Oku with a convincing performance 3-0 (11-9; 11-5; 11-5) in an all-Nigerian final to emerge with the gold medal at the event, which was the first to be decided at the ITTF Western Region Championship.
The nation’s golden boy at the ITTF Western Region Championship Samuel Boboye proved that his win yesterday was no fluke as he handed reigning singles champion Oba Oba Kizito a 3-2 defeat in the second round of the men’s singles event.
Having already won 3-0 against the Ivorian in their singles match at the teams event, the 17-year-old Boboye showed all of his guile and class to pick up another win against his more experienced opponent in a different category at the championship.
Nigerian duo of Akanbi Rilwan and Augustine Emmanuel delivered an epic match against their Ghanaian counterparts Derek Abrefa and Emmanuel Commey in the men’s doubles as they lost 3-2.
The Ghanaians raced into a 2-0 lead and needed just a point to wrap up the match before the Nigerian duo rallied and fought back to level the match at 2-2. The Ghanaians managed to keep their composure and complete a 3-2 victory that eliminated the Nigerian duo from the competition.
