Union Maritime halts Union Bank at Lagos T/tennis league
Written by kamoru sakiruMonday, 25 June 2012
UNION Maritime Club caused an upset at the weekend when the Ganiat Ogundele-inspired side halted the dominance of Union Bank Sports Club in the women's event of the week five of the ongoing Lagos State Table Tennis League.
It was Union Maritime made up of foreign-based players that toppled the bankers’ team from ruling the week five of the championship.
The two Union Bank teams failed to qualify from the group for the first time in four weeks and this invariably prevented them from playing in the last four of the championship. Despite the slump, the bankers’ teams still top the league after the week five of the championship.
With two weeks remaining before the grand finale, Union Maritime ladies now occupy fourth place on the table despite joining the team in week four, while J30 Club placed third behind the two Union Bank teams.
But in the men’s event, Union Bank still hold sway ahead of other teams in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Olufab Club sensation, Azeez Ogunlade has admitted that taking part in the league has indeed gave him a large heart to play against some of the senior players in the country.
“If there is anything that I had gained from the league, it is confidence to confront some of the senior players in the country. I now play some of them with confidence and this is what has been affecting me in the past. My gain has raised and I now play with lots of courage, which I could not do before,” Ogunlade said.
Ogunlade, a former national cadet champion was full of praise to the organizers, saying, “That we are playing the league, I am the happiest person because even at national level, there has not been competitions where we can assess ourselves. But the league has really brought out our best and it has shown us our weaknesses too,” he affirmed.
For the technical director of the competition, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) certified umpire, John Peters, the inability of Union Bank to claim the week five title has indeed made the tournament more competitive.
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