National U-15 t’tennis tournament begins

The inaugural edition of the Adegboyega Efunkoya Sports Foundation's National U-15 Table Tennis Championships kicked off in Lagos on Tuesday with a two-day training clinic at the National Stadium's indoor arena. The main competition, scheduled for August 13 to 15, aims to uncover new champions among hundreds of young athletes who have participated in the clinic.

The event, designed to enhance players' skills in strokes, footwork, and tactics, also emphasizes discipline and innovation through physical conditioning and modern training techniques. The clinic, overseen by Adegboyega Efunkoya Sports Foundation Chairman Babatunde Obisanya, aims to prepare participants for national competition and showcase their abilities to selectors.

The 44 sports associations were represented at the event, with former players in the diaspora, administrators, and enthusiasts expressing their support for the Foundation's vision. Dr. Adegboyega Efunkoya, the Foundation's namesake and a former Nigerian Table Tennis Federation chairman, remains central to the organization's mission.

Since its founding, the championship has nurtured numerous talents for Nigeria's national teams, including Matthew Kuti, Khadijat Musa, and the Ayoola siblings, all of whom now represent the country at the junior level. The Foundation continues to promote table tennis among junior players in primary and secondary schools, with the ultimate goal of elevating Nigeria to the world's top ten table tennis nations.