Multiple gold medalist in international table tennis championships, Segun Toriola has been elected head of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) Athletes’ Commission.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) released a statement on its website on Tuesday to announce that the four-time All Africa Games men’s singles gold medalist, 40, would, along with six members from the other zones within the ATTF and Egyptian table tennis player El-Sayed Lashin, 34, represent the continent on its Athletes’ Commission.
The statement added that the decision to constitute the commission was endorsed at the ATTF Congress held in Cairo on Saturday, January 24 and that Toriola’s “wealth of experience” would help in the proper functioning of the group.
The ITTF said on its website: “The Nigerian, a four-time Men’s Singles gold medallist at the All-Africa Games, now holds a record that may never be equaled.
“Now 40 and a two-time Men’s Singles winner at the Africa Senior Championships, Toriola, who for many years competed in Europe, brings a wealth of experience to the group.”
The seven members of the Athletes’ Commission were picked from each zones of the ATTF with Lashin included as an ex-officio member. Toriola, who is to chair the group, is Zone 3 representative.
Other members include Mohamed Sofiene Boudjadja (Algeria) representing Zone 1, Mohamed gueye (Senegal) representing Zone 2, Sarah Hanffou (Cameroon) representing Zone 4, oSama Mohamed (Sudan) representing Zone 5, Dnisha Patel (South Africa) representing Zone 6 and Widaad Gukhool (Mauritius) representing Zone 7.
Toriola has appeared in six summer Olympics (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012)- the only Nigerian athlete to achieve such feat and only the third in Africa joining runner João N’Tyamba of Angola and retired female track and field athlete Maria Mutola of Mozambique.
