2018 ITTF World Team Championship: We can make it to Championship Division, Olajide insists

Having started his maiden appearance at the 2018 World Team Championship with victory, 22-year-old Olajide Omotayo believes the Nigeria team has the quality to make it to the championship division this year.

Olajide was also instrumental to Nigeria’s 3-1 triumph over Argentina. He told Sportinglife.ng after beating GALVANO Nicolas that his confidence had grown after the vital win.

“My target in Sweden is to win all my matches and hope that this will help the team to gain promotion to the Championship division. It is possible but it is not going to be easy at all,” he said.

Describing the encounter against the Argentina star as crucial to Nigeria’s progress in the group, Omotayo said: “When I was down 2-1 and it was 10-9 in the fourth game, I just told myself that I had to be careful and play with caution. But in the fifth game, I grew in confidence after winning the fourth one. This really motivated me very well to win the encounter. It was not that easy but with support from my teammates I was sure of my victory.”

He added: “Playing in same team with Segun Toriola, Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun has really helped my game and I believe some of their pep talk has really been helping me just like it happened at the last Commonwealth Games in Australia.”