ATTF Lists Quadri, Toriola, Oshonaike For Olympic Qualifier In Tunisia

Nigerian table tennis stars Aruna Quadri, Segun Toriola, Funke Oshoanaike have been listed by the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifiers in Tunisia, Completesports.com reports.

The qualifier which is the final opportunity for African players to be in Tokyo, will see players compete in the singles and mixed doubles will hold from February 27 to 29.

Also listed for Nigeria by ATTF are Olajide Omotayo and Offiong Edem.

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ATTF stated that eight players made up of four men and four women in singles including one mixed doubles pair will qualify for the Olympic Games in Tunisia.

While Quadri and Omotayo will slug it out in the men’s singles, Oshonaike and Edem will feature in the women’s singles. And in the mixed doubles Nigeria will be represented by Oshonaike and Toriola.

Toriola will be aiming for eighth Olympics appearance as the first African athlete while Oshonaike will be targeting seventh outing as the first African female player.

According to the prospectus, the singles event (men and women) shall be played in a round robin system with the players expected to be drawn into groups of four based on the decision of the jury.

From the first stage, the winners and runners-up of all groups will be drawn in the second stage to play another round robin system to decide the top four positions that will qualify for the Olympic Games.

The mixed doubles event shall be played in a simple knockout from the beginning to the final and the winning pair will directly qualify to Tokyo 2020 as Africa’s representative.

The allotment of the players in groups will also be based on the latest African ranking list for February 2020 in singles and mixed doubles, while all matches in all stages for all events to be best of seven games.

Men’s singles:

Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo (Nigeria) Gedeon Kassa and Diawaku Diamuangana (Congo DRC), Habeb Alajaebi and Salh Abodib (Libya), Ibrahima Diaw and Hamidou Sow (Senegal), Derek Abrefa and Emmanuel Commey (Ghana), Ahmed Djamal (Djibouti), Kizito Oba Oba and Kanate Ali (Cote d’Ivoire), Dodji Kokou Fanny and Mawussi Agbetoglo (Togo), Saheed Idowu and Christ Bienatiki (Congo Brazzaville), Adam Hmam and Kerem Ben Yahia (Tunisia), Sami Kherouf and Larbi Bouriah (Algeria), Brian Mutua and Josiah Wandera (Kenya), Godfrey Sultan (Seychelles), Monday Olabiyi (Benin Republic), Jonathan Nativel and Stephen Ravonison (Madagascar).

Women’s singles:

Flavia Kimbu and Cyntia Nzangani (Congo DRC), Sarah Hanffou (Cameroun), Offiong Edem and Olufunke Oshonaike (Nigeria), Rahma Houssein (Djibouti), Nandeshwaree Jalim (Mauritius), Marta Gulti (Ethiopia), Abir Salah Haj and Fadwa Garci (Tunisia), Lynda Loghraibi and Katia Kessaci (Algeria), Doreen Juma and Lydia Setey (Kenya) and Christy Bristol (Seychelles).

Mixed doubles:

Omar Assar and Dina Meshref (Egypt), Gedeon Kassa and Cyntia Nzangani (Congo DRC), Segun Toriola and Olufunke Oshonaike (Nigeria), Ahmed Djamal and Rahma Houssein (Djibouti), Fadwa Garci and Mamia Thameur (Tunisia), Sami Kherouf and Lynda Loghraibi (Algeria) Godfrey Sultan and Christy Bristol (Seychelles).

By James Agberebi