Bello Rules NTTF National Women Singles Open Championship

Nigeria's sensational female ping ponger, Fatimo Bello, has shown her quality to dominate the maiden Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Women Singles Open Championship concluded at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

 THe feat, came seventy-two hours after emerging as champion at the All African games trial.

 

She fought her way into the final brushing aside the likes of national player, Cecilia Otu-Akpan as well as returnee Ganiat Aruna to set up a final clash against former junior champion – Tosim Oribamise.

Despite not having the chance to compete in international tournaments like her opponent in the final – Oribamise, Bello made nonsense of the experience of her opponent.

Oribamise who is considered to be Nigeria’s most travelled and experienced player in recent times, was no match to Bello who thrashed the Ekiti State-born Oribamise 4-0 (11 -7, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4) to cart home the N200,000 star prize money.

An excited Bello said she is determined to make the Nigeria team to the 2019 All Africa Games in Morocco.

"I'm very happy and excited about the victory. This is going to help me a lot because I won't stop training and continue to work hard. Training is the key to my success and hopeful I will continue to win. I actually started training two months ago for the trials and this Women Singles championship and I was expecting to win, so it is not something surprising. 

As the first winner of this tournament which means I'm one of the best players in Nigeria, I will like to play abroad and do all my possible best if I get the opportunity. I'm looking forward to play for the National team and excel with the team,” she said.

The tournament sponsored by the NTTF President, Engineer Ishaku Tikon was to rate female players and select team for major championships and the NTTF boss admitted that the objectives of the tournament was achieved.

“We have gotten the result of why we staged the competition. A new queen has emerged and the line-up according to their ranking have also been established, we are good to go and we are prepared to conquer Africa and we are on our way to dominate table tennis in the region,” Tikon said.

 
For the former President of NTTF, Wahid Oshodi, the performance of the players was encouraging and with constant training and regular competitions, the players would be ready to compete with the best.

Ma Long, Liu Shiwen Finish 2015 As World Best

Chinese superstars Ma Long and Liu Shiwen have ended 2015 as the world's top ranked table tennis players after both having an amazing 2015, which saw them both being crowned the 2015 ITTF Table Tennis Stars in December.

Ma Long had the year of his career winning the Qoros World Championships, Liebherr Men's World Cup and GAC Group 2015 World Tour Grand Finals, which made him undoubtedly the best table tennis player on the planet.

2015 marks the sixth anniversary that Ma Long first ended the year as world number one back in 2010 and December was the 41st month that the 27-year-old has occupied the top position of the world ranking.

On his achievement, Ma Long stated: "I am very happy to end 2015 as the World number one again! I am looking forward to showing even better performances in the 2016 Olympic year."

Chinese teammates Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin finished the year at number two and three respectively, followed by Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Olympics champion Zhang  Jike, also from China, is at number five just ahead of Japan's Jun MIZUTANI.

Japan's Yuya Oshima had the biggest rise in the world ranking in a breakthrough year. At the start of 2015, the now 21-year-old was listed as 71 in the world, moving on 12 months and the rising Japanese superstar is a lofty 18th in the world, and closing in fast on the world's top 10.

Liu Shiwen managed to overcome her bitterly disappointing loss in the Qoros 2015 World Championships final to Ding Ning, to finish the year as the world's number one women's table tennis player.

On her way to finishing world number one for the third time in her career, Liu Shiwen won a record equalling fourth Women's World Cup in a highly successful year for the Chinese player.

World Champion Ding Ning finished the year in second position on the back of her victory at the year ending GAC Group 2015 World Tour Grand Finals.

Compatriot ZhuYuling finishes the year in third ahead of Japanese superstar Ai Fukuhara. China's Chen Meng is next in line at number five, above China's Olympic Champion LI Xiaoxia and Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa.

14-year-old sensation Mima Ito finishes a remarkable year, which saw her crowned as the 2015 ITTF Breakthrough Star as the 12th best table tennis player on earth.

After a short break for the festive season, the world's best players get back into action at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open, which begins on 20 January 2016 in Budapest, Hungary.