A staff of the Engineering Department of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Kehinde Borokini, on Saturday won the 2nd edition of the annual Ships & Ports Table Tennis Championship retaining the Prince Olayiwola Shittu Trophy for the second year in a row.
Borokini, who won the maiden edition of the championship last year, defeated fellow NPA staff, Jangnap Nansoh, 7-11, 11-5, 11-1.
A highly elated Borokini said she hopes to win the trophy for keeps next year.
A staff of ENL Consortium, Yusuf Saheed Ayinde, defeated a maritime lawyer, Titilayo Osagie to third place in the one-day championship which held at the Apapa Club, Lagos.
Shortly after winning the competition, Borokini expressed appreciation to the management of Ships & Ports Communication Company for giving her the opportunity to exhibit her talent and make more friends among maritime industry operators.
She said: “This is the second time I am winning this competition, when I got here today, I thought I will see people that will defeat me but I thank God for allowing me win this competition for the second time.”
First runner up, Jangnap Nansoh, while congratulating Borokini for retaining the trophy said participating in the competition for the first time and coming second was a dream come true for him.
“I didn’t know I could get to the semi-final as a first timer, but all the same I hope to win the trophy next year because I will start trainning for the next edition from now,” he said.
National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, who sponsored the championship, commended Ships & Ports Communication Company for its various initiatives which he said have contributed in promoting the maritime industry and integrating operators.
Shortly before flagging off the championship, Shittu played a brief commemorative match with the Honourary Secretary of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMAREST), Engr. Alex Peters.
Cordinator of the Ships & Ports Table Tennis Championship, Daniel Nwakwuoke said the championship is the first of its kind in the shipping sector.
“The one-day championship was instituted to promote recreation and healthy sporting activities among maritime industry operators,” he said.
Nwakwuoke said that the Ships& Ports Table Tennis Championship will complement the Annual Maritime Cup Football Competition organised by the leading maritime media firm, further promote the well-being of industry operators and create camaraderie in the industry.
22 persons participated in this year’s edition of the championship, up from 12 that participated in the maiden edition in 2013.
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