Akingbemisilu, Obazuaye win gold as Nigeria eyes top spot

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By Daniel Akinola
Nigeria’s star continued to rise at the ongoing ITTF World Para Future holding in Amman, Jordan, with Faith Obazuaye and Bolawa Akingbemisilu, adding two gold medals to the country’s total haul. They also became champions in the Women’s Class 9-10 and Men’s Class 4-5 singles events, respectively.
 
Abiola Adesope added a silver medal from the Men’s Class 9, while Isau Ogunkunle and Kehinde Lawal also claimed silver in their events.  Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games bronze medallist and former Commonwealth Games medallist, Kape Oputa, finished with bronze medals in the Men’s Class 9 and Women’s Class 4-5 singles events.
 
Akingbemisilu triumphed over his compatriot, Ogunkunle, with a 3-2 victory to win the Men’s Class 4-5, while Obazuaye defeated Lawal 3-1 to clinch the Women’s Class 9-10 title. In the Men’s Class 9, Adesope was bested by Iurii Nozdrunov 3-2 in the final, settling for silver. Agunbiade, who lost to Nozdrunov in the semifinal, took home a bronze medal. Oputa also secured a bronze after a 3-2 loss to Rusul Al Waeli of Iraq.
 
With the singles events concluded, Team Nigeria has now shifted focus to the doubles, where they aimed for more medals that will make them the best team in the competition.

On the opening day, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games bronze medallist Olufemi Alabi secured Nigeria’s first gold medal in the Men’s Class 10. The eight-member Nigerian team, comprising five men and three women, are in Jordan to earn ranking points ahead of the African Championships later this year.
 
Sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC), this is their first major competition of the year and their first international outing since the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The team is coached by Nosiru Sule and Gbenga Olanipekun.