Organisers of the yearly Aruna Open Table Tennis Tournament have disclosed that the third edition of the competition will begin on November 29 and end on December 3 at Eko Club, Lagos.
The tournament, which started as a cadet championship, has grown to become a national open for senior, junior and cadet players within and outside Lagos State.
The tournament is organised by Aruna Sports Academy with support from Eko Club and Olusoga Odunayo Adesanya Foundation, while Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA) will provide the technical backing.
Top players across the country have expressed interest in participating in the championships, just as former champions, Tobi Adebakin and Kehinde Akanbi, say they are ready to reclaim the titles they won at the maiden edition in 2021.
According to the coordinator of the tournament, Ganiat Aruna, the essence of the championships is to unearth new talents that will step into the shoes of African champion, Quadri Aruna.
“Our aim is to discover more talents by catching them young, as well as to discover more talents like Quadri Aruna in the near future. We hope to help improve the physical fitness and health of children and help them maintain healthy lifestyles through table tennis.
“The competition will help to prevent a range of health issues in children, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, which have increased dramatically in recent decades,” she said.
“We also want to develop valuable teamwork and leadership skills that can help foster a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among team members, as well as build critical skills such as problem-solving, decision-making and conflict resolution to prepare to lead in the society,” the former national junior champion said.
