Ping-pong: A 3rd Medal For Ghana

A third bronze medal was all Ghana could boast of at press time yesterday as the 13th African Junior Table Tennis championship drew to a close.

The Ghanaian boys Under-18 doubles team of Eric Agyemang and Tweneboa Kodua beat their Congo Brazzaville coounterparts in three straight sets to add to Akosua Ketu's honour in the girls Under-15 singles event and that of the boys' Under-21 team.

At press time, Eric Ofori Addo was Ghana's only representative in contention for honours. He was one of the quarter-finalists in the Under-18 singles event, needing another win to enter the medal zone.

Heavyweights Nigeria and Egypt still maintained their hold on the medal table on the last day of competition, underlining their dominance in African table tennis. Even before the close Nigeria had four gold, three silver and two bronze medals while Egypt followed with four gold and three silver medals.

Addo, however, was expected to go through a difficult time with dominant stars like Nigeria's Adenoyi Kazeem, Islam Sanbol from Egypt and again Nigeria's Gbenga in the race for the ultimate.

Ghana's representatives failed to go beyond the sixteenth round of the singles event and it was Addo's determination in the face of stiff opposition that saved the blushes of the nation.

Indeed, the early wins by the boys' and girls' Under-21 teams gave false signs of a medal haul. But perhaps affected by the unpleasant experience of disqualification, the team slumped in all areas.