The duo of the Nigerian ping pong players, Kuti Mathew and AbdulFatai AbdulBasit, has won the Gold Medal in the U19 Boys’ Doubles title at the just concluded fourth phase of the Festival of Table Tennis, “ITTF Africa Youth Championship”, which took place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
Kuti and AbdulFatai defeated their counterparts, Essid Wassim and Khaloufi Mohammed from Tunisia, 3-1 (12-10, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10) to clinch the Gold Medal.
Kuti Mathew expressed his joy, saying, “I’m thrilled to have won a bronze medal. After losing in the final in 2019, I’m delighted to have made it to the finals this year and secured a double win.”
Abdul Fatai Abdul Basit also stated that, “I’m overwhelmed with joy. This win is a testament to my hard work, and I’ll use this experience to refine my skills for the upcoming Africa Senior Championship in Romania.”
Dignitaries at the event included the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho; Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, and other sports pundits.
The youngsters showcased their finesse in the ping pong game to grab the title in the boys’ doubles final. This victory marks a significant achievement for Nigerian table tennis, highlighting the country’s growing strength in the sport.
Overall the Nigeria’s table tennis team performed well in the championship.