We’re Ready For 2nd Valuejet Para Tennis Open – Players

Paralympic players for the second annual Value-jet Para Table Tennis Open say they are ready for the championship opening today in Lagos.
Tidesports source gathered that the three-day competition will hold at Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Some of the players who had arrived in Lagos said that the tournament would provide an opportunity to end the year 2020 on a good note, despite COVID-19 induced challenges.
Victor Farinloye, a Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games-bound athlete, said the battle for the podium was becoming tougher with the emergence of new players outside Lagos.
Farinloye, who qualified for Tokyo 2021 Para-lympic Games following his triumph in the men’s class eight at the 2019 African qualifiers in Egypt, says he is eager to affirm his supremacy in the country.
“I am happy that we are having this kind of tournament to end the year; particularly this 2020 that has been challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has prevented us from com-peting internationally, but with the staging of this tournament, we are happy that the sponsors and organisers kept faith.
“I am looking forward to showing my class in the competition, also to show that my qualification was not a fluke,” Farinloye said.
On his part, Olufemi Alabi, also Tokyo 2021 bound, said the compe-tition would be a serious battle in the men’s class 9-10; with keen competition from Tajudeen Agunbiade.
Alabi, a gold medalist at Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, said he was excited that they were competing again after the ease of the lockdown.
“I am excited that we are competing again, particu-larly against the backdrop of COVID-19 challenges.
“This will surely put us in good shape going into the year of the Paralympic Games.
“I know my class is tougher and this will surely bring out the best in us, but I am sure I would not disappoint my fans,” Alabi said.
Sunday Odebode, the Coordinator of the tourna-ment, said that this year’s entries have been over-whelming despite being a national event.
Tidesports source reports that the champion-ship is organised by Sunday Odebode Founda-tion in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) with support from the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).