Nigeria’s Azeez Solanke put up a daring performance in the singles event of the ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championship, where he defeated continental rivals, Egypt, to reclaim Nigeria’s place atop the junior boys single event.
Azeez also partnered with Jamiu Ayanwale to win gold in the junior boys double event.
After moving past Abdelraham Dendan at the quarter-final stage, a contest where the Egyptian had to withdraw from due to injury (11-5, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, ret), Azeez beat Ahmed El-Borhamy (11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8) and Marwan Abdelwahab (13-11, 4-11, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11, 11-6) to win the title.
Marwan Abdelwahab, in the earlier rounds of the singles, had defeated Abayomi Animasahun (11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8) and Tunisia’s Aboubaker Bourass (11-8, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7) before meeting Solanke.
In the junior boy’s double event, Abdelwahab partnered with fellow countryman Gawad El-Herazy, however both players were ousted by Nigerian duo, Jamiu and Solanke (11-8, 11-7, 11-6).
Jamiu had earlier defeated Tunisia’s Habib Ameur in the cadet boys’ singles event (11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7), but lost to Taiwo Mati (11-8, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8) in the final.
In the U-21 men’s singles event, Mahmoud Helmy defeated Solanke in the quarterfinal (11-4, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5), before ousting Abdelwahab (13-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8) and Emmanuel Augustine (11-1, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6, 11-2).
Source: Guardian
Featured image source: Brila