ITTF: Animashaun optimistic of good performance
Promising table tennis prodigy, Abayomi Animashaun yesterday expressed confidence that the training programme he is currently undergoing in Ljbuljana, Slovenia would aid his performance at the ITTF World Cadet Challenge.
Animashaun, 12, said in a telephone interview that the challenge would hold from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1 in Cairo, Egypt.
The junior player from Ekiti said that the training had continued to improve his skills and strength since it started on Oct. 12.
NAN reports that Animashaun attracted the attention of fans at the 2015 International Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour held in February in Lagos.
The tour was held at the Molade OkoyaThomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, where Animashaun posted an impressive performance in his first match.
Animashaun was selected for the Slovenia training, having come first at the 2015 ITTF World Hopes Week and Challenge held between June and July in Shangai, China.
Animashaun and an Egyptian qualified to represent Africa at the tournament.
Four boys and four girls with two of the boys coming from Africa - Nigeria and Egypt - would feature at the ITTF World Cadet Challenge in Egypt.
“My playing pattern has improved so well since the training started. I keep learning at each training session and I am a better player now.
“With the training, I am in good form and prepared to excel at the competition. Yes, it will be a tough competition but I am fully prepared. I had been preparing before leaving Nigeria, I am perfecting my training now and also learning some new things,” he said.
Animashaun added that the training session holds twice a day for two hours each.
“We have both the morning and the afternoon training. Each day comes with a different approach of teaching and training,” Animashaun said.
According to him, what he is learning is not just for the upcoming competition, but for future purposes.
“I am preparing also for the future; this type of opportunity is rare and I want to fully utilise it. It’s an opportunity and I want to make good use of it,” he said. (NAN)