AAG T/Tennis: Toriola Boasts, Dismisses Egypt Threat

By James Agberebi:

Veteran Nigerian table tennis player, Segun Toriola, has dismissed the threat of Egypt and said that he and his teammates plan to win most of the gold medals that will be up for grabs at the 11th All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo.

Toriola made this known to completesportsnigeria.com at the team's training camp inside the National Stadium, Lagos.
"We have a bright chance of winning gold medals. In the table tennis event, seven gold medals are up for grabs but I cannot say we are going to win all the seven gold medals at stake but we plan to win as many gold medals as possible," the multiple gold medallist told completesportsnigeria.com.

Toriola played down the threat posed by the likes of Egypt, stating that Nigeria is still the team to beat.

He added: "I don't see the North Africans most especially Egypt as threats to us. We have been dominating Africa for more than three decades, so it's nothing to us. They are scared of us because they know it's not going to be easy at the All Africa Games, it's going to be tough."

And the six-time Olympian confirmed that this will be his last appearance at the All Africa Games. 

"We have been preparing for the past months, the training is going on fine. We still have a few weeks to go, so we are trying to put everything right before heading for the All Africa Games," Toriola told completesportsnigeria.com.

"I am going to quit very soon from the national team and this definitely will be my last All Africa Games but I will continue with my career in Europe. What I plan to do after I quit the national team is to go into coaching in order to help the young ones and also give back to the system."