Paralympics: Team Nigeria grab table tennis bronze

Team Nigeria lost a game on Wednesday but gained a medal to the bargain at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, bringing their total Games’ haul to seven medals.

Nigeria lost 2-0 to Australia in the semi-finals of the men’s team Class 9 to 10 event of the table tennis competition.

In the doubles game, Tajudeen Agunbiade and Alabi Olufemi lost 3-1 to Australian pair Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan.

After losing the first set 12-10, the Nigerian team fought back to win 11-8, only to lose 12-10 again in the third set.

They however failed to keep up the momentum by losing the fourth set 11-5 for a 3-1 major score line.

Ma went on to beat Agunbiade 3-2 in the opening singles, coming from two sets down (8-11, 9-11) to win the final three sets 11-3, 11-9, 11-8.

The loss meant Australia went 2-0 up to make the third game, the singles involving Olufemi and Coughlan, unnecessary in this best-of-three fixture.

Australia will go on to face China on Friday in the final, after the Chinese beat Ukraine 2-0 in the other semi-final fixture.

Nigeria now have three gold, one silver and three bronze medals from the Games, with just four days to the end of competition on Sunday.

Nigeria’s involvement in competition at the Games will continue on Thursday at the Olympic Stadium.

That is when Eucharia Iyiazi joins 15 others to do battle for the three available medals in the women’s shot put F57 event.

PUNCH/ Mercy Chukwudiebere