Ajetumobi beat Merotoun to Ojez title
Nigeria’s rising table tennis star, Seun Ajetumobi last Friday confirm his superiority over Monday Merotoun in the grand finale of the first O’jez Table Tennis Championship via a 4-1 set victory at the Sports Hall of the Lagos National Stadium which makes many pundit to doubt the ability of the Nigeria No. 3 ranked player (Merotoun) to go far at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Ajetumobi who defeated Haruna Quadri by 4-0 of 11-6; 11-6; 11-8 and 11-8 in the semi finals out played Merotoun winning the first two sets (11-6; 11-9) losing only the third set to Merotoun by 11-8. He, however, rallied back in the fourth and fifth sets which he won by 11-9 and 11-3 set to pocket the sum of eighty thousand naira (N80, 000) while Merotoun went home with N60, 000. The duo of Quadri and Jide Ogidiolu who finished the championship as joint third went home with a cash prize of N40, 000 each. The Women Singles event was won by Ganiat Ogundele via a 4-0 sets over Atinuke Laide of 1-7; 11-9; 11-4 and 11-8 to win the star-prize money of N60, 000 while Laide went home with a cash prize of N40, 000. Onaolapo Ojo defeated Rasheed Azeez by four set to nil (11—6; 11-4; 11-4 and 11-5) to cart home the first prize money of N40, 000 in the junior boys category while Tinuke Hassan had the better of Fatimoh Bello in thrilling final by 4-3 sets to win the junior girls singles event. President of the Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, Cosmas Maduka charged Merotoun to shield some weight in order to be fit for the Table Tennis event of the Olympics. Maduka told journalists at the end of the championship in Lagos that Merotoun is a fantastic player who needs to watch what he does at this crucial moment that the Olympic is fast approaching. “Honestly Monday is a fantastic player but his present weight and fitness level calls for concern, he should know that this is an Olympic year and that all players aiming to do well at the global game need to watch what they take-in else it could spell doom for them and the country they represent. The NTTF boss also advised Ajetumobi to remain focus and concentrate on achieving more in the sport that has brought fame and fortune to many players in the world.
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