Brazzaville 2015 performance excites Oshonaike

Funke Oshonaike

Nigeria table tennis star, Funke Oshonaike, has said she is satisfied with her performance at the just-concluded 2015 All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo.

Oshonaike won four medals – two silver and bronze – for the country. She won silver in the women’s team event and mixed doubles, along with Ojo Onaolapo while she won bronze in the women’s singles and women’s doubles along with Rashidat Ogundele.

She told our correspondent via email, “The medals came with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. The level of competition in table tennis in Africa has increased and it manifested in the way the countries played in Congo.

“Our coaches did a lot and I will say they did better than some other countries. However, we still have a long way to go because I am not happy with the way Egypt defeated us in some of the events.”

She added that Congo got their medals because they engaged the services of Chinese players, adding that Nigeria should encourage and develop more talents to compete in future competitions.

Oshonaike said, “We are not going to relax and lose our top place to Congo. They were only able to win because they have the Chinese players.

“We should develop and expose more players like the Egyptians and we will reap the benefits in later years.”