Nigeria’s foremost female table tennis player, Funke Oshonaike has denied any form of sorrow or agony on her mind after crashing out early from the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although she admitted it was a disappointment, after losing 4-1 to Juan Liu of USA in the women’s singles, the 45-year-old ping-pong str insisted the spirit of participation is always paramount at the Olympics.
She is now taking consolation in the fact that she has represented Nigeria at seven editions of the Games and insists there is nothing to be ashamed of, after losing the first three sets to her opponent.
The Germany-based ace lost 7-11, 3-11 and 4-11 before winning the fourth set 13-11, then dropped the fifth 4-11 and crashed out of the Games.
Oshonaike’s ouster came on the same day her compatriot, Offiong Edem thrashed Hungary’s Dora Madarasz 4-1 in another preliminary round fixture.
Edem won 11-8, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 to move into the next stage of the competition, leaving Oshonaike to lend her support and tips for further progress in days to come.
On the other hand, Oshonaike is taking stock of her legendary saga as she acknowledged that age is not on her side and Tokyo 2020 will be her last Olympic Games’ outing, as she will now be reduced to the status of a spectator, not a competitor any longer.
She also leaves the scene with several records intact, one of which was how she made history by becoming the first African woman to qualify for seven editions of the Games as well as the first female to achieve the feat in table tennis, after making her debut at Atlanta ’96 in USA.
Oshonaike told the Olympics channel after her ouster: “I just lost, I’m supposed to be kind of sad, but I’m happy that we can be here at the Olympics. This is the spirit of the Games.
”You lose or win but we are all Olympians. I never gave up, I’m here today and I’m so happy that I could play because I was not expecting it. I’m (still) going to be there, but as a spectator.”
