N1.4million up for grabs at 2016 Aso Table Tennis Championship

Organisers of the 2016 Aso Table Tennis Championship on Wednesday in Abuja said about N1.4 million would be up for grabs in this year’s championship which began on Tuesday.

John Peters, the Tournament Referee, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the prize monies were of different levels and categories.

``The winner of the men's singles will go home with N200,000, while the first runner-up will pocket N100,000, just as the second and third runners-up will win N50,000 and N45,000 respectively.

``For the men's doubles, the winners will take home N50,000, while the first, second and third runners-up will pocket N30,000, N25,000 and N10,000 respectively,’’ he said.

Peters said the winner of the women's singles would also earn N200,000, just as their male counterparts.

The tournament official said the first, second and third runners-up of the women’s singles would also receive N100,000, N50,000 and N45,000 respectively.

He said winners and runners-up of the women's doubles would receive the same prize monies as their male counterparts.

Peters added that winners of the Junior Boys and Junior Girls singles would also pocket N50,000 each.

``Also, the first, second and third runners-up in the Junior Boys and Junior Girls singles will receive N30,000, N25,000 and N10,000 respectively.

``For the Cadet Boys and Cadet Girls Singles, winners will have N40,000, N20,000, N10,000 and N7,000 respectively,’’ he said.

Peters disclosed also that the event organised in conjunction with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) would see players from 22 states participating.

He said the players were no fewer than 250 in number.

``This year, we have players from 22 states and a total of 250 of them from these states, competing in eight events and the matches will be on knockout basis,’’ the official said.

The competition, which is holding at the National Stadium in Abuja, is billed to end on Sunday.

It is an event designed by a group of friends and passionate tennis lovers as an annual national tournament to facilitate the development of the game.


(NAN)