Stephen Dunmoye
Nigeria’s starts in two different sports at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France has been very woeful.
On Saturday, the two Table Tennis players Olajide Omotayo and Aruna Quadri were given early shower out of the singles event.
Aruna Quadri collapsed 4-3 to Romania’s Eduard Ionescu in the round of 64. Ranked 16th in the world, Quadri gave up a 3-0 lead to Ionescu who fought back to go through 4-3.
Final scores of 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 9-11, and 11-13 in favour of Eduard Ionescu of Romania.
Aruna’s elimination made it the second loss on the day for Nigeria after two time Olympian Olajide Omotayo was stopped 4-1 in the round of 64 against Noshad Alamiyan of Iran.
Omotayo won the first set 11-6 but the Iranian turned the tables round, dominating the next four sets 5-11, 4-11, 10-12, and 8-11.
More woes hit Team Nigeria camp in the French capital as lightweight boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore was provisionally suspended on Saturday after she tested positive for a banned substance ahead of her opening fight at the Paris Olympics, the International Testing Agency said.