By Victor Okoye
Victor Okoye, an Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was on Friday crowned champion of the 2024 FCT SWAN Week Table-tennis tournament in Abuja.
This was after he had dismissed giant-killer Godstime Egelege-Idama of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) 11 – 6 in the final to lift the prestigious trophy.
NAN reports that Okoye had also thrashed Fashemi Emmanuel of Kapital FM 11-4 in the semi-finals before putting an end to Egelege-Idama’s fairytale run in the tournament.
Egelege-Idama, on his part, had pulled off an upset in a game that was full of intensity, pressure, and sheer unpredictability.
This was after he completed a comeback victory in a thrilling semi-final match against Odion Abdulrazak of Liberty TV to send the match to a five-point decider.
The much fancied Abdulrazak had begun the game on the front foot after he raced unto a massive 7-0 lead, as he looked to run away with the win and book a final berth against Okoye
However, Egelege-Idama had other ideas of his own as he stepped up his game to quickly bounce back and tie the game at 10-10, which forced the nervy encounter into a nail-biting decider.
Odion would finally crack under pressure as he lost 3-5 to a much more rejuvenated Egelege-Idama who had the wind in his sails.
But Egelege-Idama failed to replicate the form which had seen him gain the hard earned reputation of a “giant-killer” as a ruthless Okoye quickly dismissed any thought of another fairytale win and ended his lofty title ambition in the final.
NAN also reports that the third place match saw Abdulrazak, who looked more like a wounded lion, devoured Emmanuel 11-2 at the end of a one-sided encounter.
The 2024 FCT SWAN Week which began on Thursday with a walking/jogging exercise ended on Friday with a colourful gala and award ceremony at the VIP lounge of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)