Olufunke Oshonaike, Nigerian tennis sensation, has underscored her ambition to become the first African woman to participate in eight Olympic Games.
She holds the record for seven appearances after she competed in the women’s singles at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan for the 7th time, having previously qualified and participated in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016.
Earlier on Saturday at the ongoing ITTF African Senior Championships in Rades, Tunisia, the 49-year-old German-based took a step closer to Paris 2024 in partnership with Fatimo Bello and catapulted Team Nigeria into the women’s doubles final with a convincing 3-0 victory (11-6, 11-7, 11-7) over the Mauritius duo of Oumehani Hosenally and Nandeshwaree Jalim.
The victory set up a potentially explosive final clash with Egypt’s Sarah Hanffou and Marwa Alhodaby, who in the other semi-final match triumphed over the Tunisian challenge posed by Abir Haj Salah and Fadwa Garci, earning their spot in the final.
It was a fairly fruitful Day 6 for Nigeria at the event rounding off tomorrow, with Olajide Omotayo defeating Ibrahima Diaw of Senegal 4-2 in the men’s singles quarterfinals over Ibrahima Diaw.
Madagascar’s duo of Antoine Razafinarivo and Fabio Rakotoarimanana pulled the biggest win in their history by upsetting Egypt’s Ahmed Saleh and Mohammed El-Beiali 3-2 in the men’s doubles semi-finals.
Fifame Goussikinde, competing in her maiden Senior Championships, impressed with a 4-2 (9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8) victory over Morocco’s Malak Ghounim in the first round of the women’s singles.
The championships started on September 11 and will run through September 17 at the Salle Omnisport de Rades.
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