Ambode Promises More Prize Money For ITTF Nigeria Open From 2018

Governor Akinwumi Ambode (left) presents prize money to Omar Assar of Egypt 

Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has pledged to increase the prize money for the Seamaster ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open from next year.

The Governor, who was basking in the euphoria of the success of the just concluded 2017 edition at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere on Sunday, said that there is need for the government to increase the status of the international competition as the state’s long time plan is to make Lagos a destination for sports in Africa.

The Governor, who was at the venue to watch the final match played between Egyptian Omar Assar and Indian, Gandhi Sarthak, noted that “for me I’m going to scale up the prize money to attract more players to come for this competition. So next year, you will see more money and more countries participating in this competition. Lagos is a destination for sports in Africa and that is the way we want it to go. ”

Ambode expressed his excitement at the successful hosting of the Seamaster ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open. He described the tournament as gratifying and in line with his vision to use sports as a catalyst for growth & development of the economy, adding that all stakeholders in the society must now invest in sports for the country to take its rightful place in the world of sports.

To the Special Adviser on Sports to the Governor, Mr Deji Tinubu, the continuous growth of the ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open, the Lagos 2017, which attracted players from 22 countries, has brought great pleasure and increased the state and that of the country’s level of interest across the African continent and beyond.

“The commitment and handwork of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in this regard cannot be over-emphasized as evidenced in the fluidity and the execution of the tournament organization, ” said Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission.

Meanwhile, Assar overpowered India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 4-0 in the men’s singles, while Dina Meshref of Egypt also beat Russia’s Olga Kulikova in 4-0 game watched by a capacity crowd at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

In the women’s double, Hungary’s Bernadett Balint and Szandra Pergel defeated the duo of Egyptians Yousra Helmy and Meshref in three straight sets of 11-8, 11-8, 12-10, while the pair of France’s Antoine Hachard and Gregoire Jean won the title beating Romania’s Alexandru Cazacu and Rares Sipos 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 and 11-9.

Both Assar and Meshref won a cash prize of $5000 each, as runners up got $2300. Winners of the double events received $3000 as runners up were given $1500 in both the men and women’s categories.