ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Animasahun, Others Begin Quest For Honours | WakaWaka Reporters
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ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Animasahun, Others Begin Quest For Honours

Nigeria’s sole representative at the 2015 ITTF World Cadet Challenge, 12 year-old Abayomi Animsahun will today begin his quest for honours alongside other top cadet players across the globe at the one-week tournament holding at Sharm El-Shiekh in Egypt.

Animasahun, who is part of the ITTF Hopes Team, will be coached by Bode Ajayi and he is expected to compete in the singles, team and doubles as well as mixed doubles events.

Although, Africa also has a team competing at the tournament and Nigeria’s inability to attend the last African Junior Championship in Mauritius caused the non-listing of any of its players in the continental team.

However, Animasahun, who has prepared very well for the championship having been in camp with the senior national team during the pre-African Games training, was also part of the training put together for the participants at the World Cadet Challenge. He has promised to make Nigeria proud.

“I am happy that Nigeria’s name will be mentioned at the championship after I had to travel to China to make the ITTF Hopes Team. This qualification is an inspiration to me to do well while the training I had with the national team under the watchful eyes of German tactician Martin Adomeit will be helpful to me and I hope to practicalise everything I learnt from the camp. I am looking forward to doing well,” the Ekiti teenage sensation told SportingLife.

Egypt’s twin, Mariam Alhodaby and Youssef Abdel-Aziz will spearhead the African team at the championship.

Also, the host nation is most certainly well represented; eyes being very much on Youssef Abdel-Aziz as well as on the twin sisters – Marwa and Marian Alhobady.

Pertinently, Youssef Abdel-Aziz was on duty one year ago when the tournament was staged in Bridgetown, Barbados; he finished the Boys’ Singles event in a highly creditable 14th place.

Now the task for the 15 year-old is to build on the performance of one year ago; most certainly he has proved himself more than capable.