24
Barely three days after emerging champion at the All African Games trials in Lagos, Fatimo Bello was once again the cynosure of all eyes after dominating the maiden Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Women Singles Open Championship concluded over the weekend at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
She fought her way into the final, sweeping aside the likes of national player, Cecilia Otu-Akpan as well as returnee Ganiat Aruna to set up a final clash against the former junior champion and one of the most traveled female ping pong players in the country, Tosin Esther Oribamise.
Despite not having the chance to compete in international tournaments like her opponent, Bello accounted for the Ekiti State-born Oribamise 4-0 (11 -7, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4) to clinch the N200,000 star prize money.
An excited Bello said she is determined to make the Nigeria team to the 2019 All Africa Games in Morocco and do the country proud.
“I’m very happy and excited about the victory, this is going to help me a lot because I won’t stop training and continue to work hard.
“Training is the key to my success and hopefully, I will continue to win tournaments to establish myself as one of the best players in Nigeria.