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| Segun Toriola | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Toriola in London, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Segun Moses Toriola | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 September 1974 (50 years old) Ilorin, Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Segun Moses Toriola (born 18 September 1974 in Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria) is a retired Nigeria professional table tennis player. [1]
He is the youngest of nine brothers.
Since 1995, he has been ranked as the best Nigerian player. He has been amongst the top table tennis players in Africa since the mid-1990s. Ranked number 1 in Africa from 1998 to June 2008, when Egyptian Eli Saleh Ahmed became the leading African table tennis player. However, since 2009, Toriola has again been the number 1 in Africa. Renowned for his unusual style of forehand play, which makes him an awkward opponent for many. Despite lacking good footwork has an excellent topspin, which has allowed him to pull off many upsets with top world players.
During his career, he has won multiple medals in international singles tournaments. Some of his important achievements are:
He represented Nigeria at seven Summer Olympics debuting at Barcelona. His biggest achievement at the Olympics has been reaching the Men's Singles 1/16 final at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, beating amongst others former world number 1 Jean-Michel Saive as well as David Zhuang. His 1/32 match-up with Jean-Michel Saive was seen by many as one of the highlights of the Men's Singles Tournament. He narrowly lost 4–3 to heavily favoured Oh Sang-Eun in the 1/16 final. [5]
His fifth Olympic appearance in 2008 made him the first Nigerian man to appear at five Olympics. This feat was achieved four years earlier by sprinter Mary Onyali and also in 2008 by fellow table tennis player Bose Kaffo. By the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics, only thirteen table tennis players worldwide had appeared at least five Olympics. With his participation in 2012 Olympics in London he became the only Nigerian athlete to appear at six Olympics. He therefore joined João N'Tyamba of Angola and Maria Mutola of Mozambique as only third ever African athlete to compete in so many Summer Olympics.
Toriola competed in the 2018 IITF African-Cup, placing first in group 4, allowing him to qualify for the Quarter Finals. In the Quarter Finals, Toriola faced and was defeated by Congolese player Saheed Idowu (2-4) resulting in Toriola's elimination. In the placement rounds, Toriola defeated both Thameur Mamia (3-2) and Sami Kheroff (3-1) to finish the tournament at 5th place.
Nigeria competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's thirteenth appearance at the Olympics, except the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, because of the African boycott. Nigerian Olympic Committee sent a total of 72 athletes, 24 men and 48 women, to the Games to compete in 10 sports. For the first time in its Olympic history, Nigeria was represented by more female than male athletes. Women's basketball and women's football were the only team-based sports in which Nigeria had its representation at these Games. There was only a single competitor in men's freestyle wrestling.
Nkemdilim “Mary” Onyali-Omagbemi is a Nigerian former sprinter, she was a 5x Olympian 1988 - 2004. She had won the bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1992 Olympic Games and in the 200 m at the 1996 Olympic Games. She also won the 1994 Commonwealth Games 100 metres title.
Jean-Michel Saive is a Belgian former professional table tennis player. Saive competed at seven consecutive Olympics between 1988 and 2012, and he was also a winner in singles at European Championship 1994.
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Monday Merotohun is a Nigerian table tennis player. Playing with his partner Segun Toriola, Merotohun defeated Egypt's El-sayed Lashin and Ahmed Saleh for the gold medal in the men's doubles at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria. As of September 2012, Merotohun is ranked no. 184 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). He is a member of AS TT Sport Club Etna Riposto in Catania, Sicily, Italy, and is coached and trained by Obisanya Babatunde. Merotohun is also right-handed, and uses the shakehand grip.
Kazeem Nosiru is a Nigerian table tennis player. He shared a bronze medal triumph with Egypt's El-sayed Lashin in the men's singles at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria. As of September 2012, Nosiru is ranked no. 269 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). He is a member of Lascala Sports Club in Barcelona, Spain, and is coached and trained by Obisanya Babatunde. Nosiru is also right-handed, and uses the attacking grip.
Cecilia Otu Offiong-Akpan is a Nigerian table tennis player. She won two gold medals, along with her partner Offiong Edem, in the women's doubles at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, and at the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. As of February 2013, Offiong is ranked no. 452 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). She is a member of the table tennis team for Calabar Sports Club, and is coached and trained by Obisanya Babatunde. Offiong is also right-handed, and uses the shakehand grip.
Dmitry Vyacheslavovich Mazunov is a Russian table tennis player. He won a bronze medal, along with his brother Andrey Mazunov, in the men's doubles at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan, representing the Soviet Union. As of January 2010, Mazunov is ranked no. 105 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Mazunov is a member of TTF Liebherr Ochenhausen in Ochsenhausen, Germany, and is coached and trained by Mikhail Nosov. He is also right-handed, and uses the attacking grip.
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Nigeria competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from August 5 to 21, 2016. Since the nation made its debut in 1952, Nigerian athletes had appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal because of the African boycott.
Nigeria competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. In total, 308 athletes represented Nigeria at the games. Athletes representing Nigeria won 46 gold medals, 33 silver medals and 48 bronze medals and the country finished 2nd in the medal table.
Olajide Omotayo Adeyemi is a Nigerian professional table tennis player based in Italy. He is the youngest of 6 siblings. His peak world ranking to date was 85. He is currently ranked 144 in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Men Singles World Ranking. He is the current Champion of Africa after defeating Quadri Aruna to win Gold in the Men's Singles at the 2019 African Games, his debut appearance. Olajide is known for his offensive playing style with a strong topspin stroke. In 2017, Olajide secured a five-year sponsorship deal with the German manufacturer of kits, Gewo.
