Fourteen-year-old table tennis prodigy Ize Sezuo announced herself as one of Nigeria’s brightest emerging talents after upsetting more experienced opponents to win the inaugural Nigeria Women’s Top 12 Table Tennis Championship at the Not Bad Sports Arena, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, on Saturday.
The Kogi State youngster produced a string of remarkable performances throughout the two-day event, defeating Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps player Hussain Halimat 4-3 in a pulsating final to lift the title at a championship co-organised by the Not Bad Sports Arena and the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation.
Sezuo’s triumph, which saw her come from three games to nil up, surrender a lead and hold her nerve in a deciding seventh game, earned her the winners’ prize of N250,000 from a total purse of N3 million. Runner-up Hussain received N150,000, while the two losing semi-finalists earned N50,000 each. The remaining participants received appearance fees and consolation prizes.
The championship, held from June 26 to 27, marked a significant milestone as the first edition of the top 12 format organised exclusively for female players, following two previous editions for male players only.
Sezuo’s route to the title was one of the stories of the tournament. Seeded ninth, she stunned top seed Asaju Bisola of Edo State four games to three in the semi-finals, winning the decisive seventh game after both players were level at three-all.
