Rio 2016 Olympics
Segun Toriola in Ping Pong action for Nigeria. Photo Credit: AFP

For being the first ever African player (in any sport) to compete at seven Olympic Games, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) plans to honor Nigerian veteran, Segun Toriola for this rare and historical feat.

The world governing body on Sunday, revealed its plans of organising a ceremony in Rio to celebrate the 41-year old who is the most capped player on the continent. Toriola’s seventh Olympic Games appearance equals the Table Tennis record.

Toriola, who is ranked 120th in the world, exited the men’s singles event on Sunday after losing his Round 2 match to Japan’s Koki Niwa, who is ranked No.22 in the world. Toriola had initially won his first game against Czech Republic’s Dimitrij Prokopcov.

He will however compete in the men’s team event alongside Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun on Friday, August 12.

Rio 2016 Olympics
Segun Toriola in Ping Pong action for Nigeria. Photo Credit: AFP
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Yemi Galadima is a Senior Sportswriter and Editor at Making of Champions. She has a bias for Athletics and was previously a Sports Reporter at the National Mirror, where she hosted a weekly column ‘On the Track with Yemi Olus’ for over two years. A self-acclaimed ‘athletics junkie’, she has covered national and international events live, such as the African Athletics Championships, African Games, Olympics and World Athletics Championships. She also freelances for World Athletics.

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