By Olusola Alabi
Abdulfatai Abdulbasit, a promising young table tennis player representing Kwara State, participated in the recently concluded Olaaj Open Table Tennis Championship held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Despite his impressive journey, he faced defeat in the final match.
Abdulbasit demonstrated his skill in the round of 64 by defeating Ogboriefon Salim with a commanding 3-0 victory, securing scores of 11-2, 11-1, 11-4. He then advanced to the last 32 stage, where he outplayed Ayatullahi Hammed with scores of 11-5, 11-8, 11-2.
In the semi-final, Abdulbasit continued his remarkable performance by defeating Hamadi Omeh from Edo State with a 3-0 win, scoring 11-7, 11-8, 11-6. However, he faced a formidable opponent in the final, Mathew Kuti from Lagos, ultimately losing 1-4.
Following the match, Aiyelabegan Kehinde, the Kwara State table tennis head coach, shared his thoughts. “In sports, there are victories and defeats. Although Abdulbasit fell short in the final, we must encourage him to strive for improvement. Making it to the final is no easy feat, and we’ll support him in bouncing back stronger in the next event.”
Kehinde urged other players not to be disheartened by the results, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement to excel in the sport.