Segun Toriola’s performance at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games came to a glorious end on Sunday after the record making African was edged out by Japan’s Niwa Koki in the men’s singles event of table tennis.
Despite his exit, the world table tennis ruling body, the International Table Tennis Federation plans to organise a ceremony in Rio to honour the Nigerian for his Olympic feat after making his seventh appearance at the Games and being the first African to achieve such feat.
Toriola, who is ranked 120 in the world, had on Saturday, August 6 bundled out Czech Republic’s Dimitrij Prokopcov in the first round.
Playing against a higher ranked Prokopcov in the first round of the Men’s singles event, the African legend pulled off an impressive performance against his opponent with a 4-2 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8) win to end the Czech’s Olympic dream in Rio.
In the second round tie against the Japanese ranked 22 in the world, Toriola put up a good fight as the young Asian was made to work hard for his victory against the veteran.
To exit the competition, Toriola fell 11-9, 5-11, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 1-11 (4-2) to the Japanese star.
The 41 year-old, with his seventh Olympic Games appearance, equals the table tennis record and has become the most capped African Olympian.
