The Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) on Saturday announced May 14 for the grand finale of its ongoing National U-16 League holding in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the U-16 league which began on March 31 will end on April 8, and the grand finale tagged: “Super League,’’ holds on May 14.
The Secretary of NTTF, Chinedu Ezealah-Ogundare, told NAN in Lagos that the grand finale was purposely scheduled for May 14 before the Lagos Open Classics holding from May 18 to May 22.
Ezealah-Ogundare said that the best eight male and eight female players, including two males and two females with wild cards would take part in the U-16 grand finale.
“The players will be grouped into two groups of five players each. Two players will qualify from the groups to the semi-finals stage.
“Participants in the grand finale would be the ones that would be registered for the U-21 event at the forthcoming International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Lagos Open Classics.
“They are young players and we want the grand finale to be a form of build up for them at the Classics.
“So, the U-16 grand finale will serve as pre-training for the Lagos Classics,’’ she said.
The secretary said that the Classics would feature four events, the men’s and women’s singles and the U-21 men’s and women’s singles
NAN reports that currently, no fewer than 52 boys and girls from nine states are taking part in the U-16 league holding in Lagos.
The states are Lagos, Kwara, Delta, Abia, Cross River, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Kogi. (NAN)