ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open:  Youngster Okanlawon dazzles  

Having just returned from the World Hopes Challenge in Oman, 12-year-old Usman Okanlawon entertained the fans with his near-perfect performance against the national junior star, Amadi Omeh in the men’s singles first round of the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open.

The Oyo State-born star who was crowned the U-12 champion in Oman was competing in his first senior tournament and he threw caution to the wind to humble his senior counterpart on table six at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

From the start of the encounter, Okanlawon was brave to take the lead but Omeh restored parity to put the encounter at 2-2. The fifth match which was the decider was cheered by the fans and it was the youngster that laughed last with a superb win over Omeh to record a crucial win in his debut at senior level.

An excited Okanlawon said: ” This is my first time of playing against him and I was told that I should play with confidence and so I did. I will be competing in the senior category for the first time, I hope to see myself in the finals and meet the likes of Aruna Quadri and the rest of them. But I am happy I defeated my opponent.”

Visiting Indian star – Soumyajit Ghost has described the tournament as exciting following the huge presence of fans on day one of the competition.

The Indian star who is aiming for a place in the main draw said: ” It was a good one for me and this is my first time in Nigeria and first in Africa. the fans are very cheerful. I will like to play each match and keep going match by match and this is my target.

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The qualifying matches end today as players are aiming for places in the elite stage of the championship.