As the table tennis event of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kicks off on Thursday, August 29, Nigeria’s eight-member squad, led by head coach Nasiru Sule, is determined to bring home medals.
The team, consisting of six men and two women, will compete in doubles, mixed doubles, and singles events.
Nigeria boasts a proud history in Paralympic table tennis, having secured two gold and three bronze medals since their first win in Atlanta 1996.
Sule, who won a bronze medal in Atlanta, believes the team’s extensive preparation in Nigeria and Germany has set them up for success.
“I think we had one of the best preparations this year because we have been in camp since June before leaving for Germany, and this has given us enough time to work on our tactics for the games. There is no doubt that this will be the most competitive Paralympic Games because there are lots of good players heading to Paris. We are aware of this and we are ready to face it squarely because to be the best you must beat the best,” the Atlanta 1996 bronze medalist said.
Isau Ogunkunle, the current African champion in Men’s Singles Class 4, aims to surpass his quarterfinal finish from Tokyo 2020.
“It was a good experience for me in Tokyo where I made it to the quarterfinal being my first outing. This time around, I am well prepared for Paris and I know it is not going to be easy just like it was in Tokyo. With the guidance of the technical crew that had exposed us to some of our possible opponents, I think we are battle-ready for the challenges in Paris. I am confident I will return home with something from Paris,” the Birmingham 2020 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist said.
The women’s squad includes Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi (Class 5) and Faith Bazuaye (Class 10), while the men’s team features Ogunkunle (Class 4), Kayode Alabi (Class 6), Abiola Adesope (Class 9), Bolawa Akingbemisilu (Class 5), Victor Farinloye (Class 8), and four-time Paralympian Olufemi Alabi (Class 10).
The Para table tennis events will take place at the South Paris Arena, starting on Thursday, August 29, and concluding on Saturday, September 7. In Paris, the singles events will feature all 11 classes for men, while the women’s singles will see 10 classes in action, with classes 1 and 2 combined.
Additionally, the Paris 2024 Games will mark the return of doubles events to the Paralympic stage for the first time since 1976. These include two men’s doubles and two women’s doubles events for both wheelchair and standing athletes, as well as one mixed doubles event for each category. However, there will be no doubles events for athletes in class 11.
Unlike previous Games where a group stage was followed by knockout rounds, this year’s events will follow a straightforward knockout format from start to finish.
The schedule kicks off with the men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles events, while the men’s and women’s singles competitions will begin on Sunday, September 1, with 181 athletes competing for glory in Paris.