Kogi State’s youthful table tennis sensation, Agnes Friday, has announced her arrival on the national scene with a remarkable bronze medal performance at the just-concluded 2026 Dr. Efunkoya Adegboyega U15 Cadet National Table Tennis Championship in Lagos.
Representing Kogi State at the prestigious annual championship, Agnes Friday displayed exceptional talent and determination to secure a place on the podium in the U15 Girls’ Singles category.
The sensational youngster narrowly lost her semi-final encounter to Walimat of Lagos State, forcing her to settle for a well-deserved bronze medal. Her impressive performance, however, is a strong indication of what lies ahead for the young Kogi-born star as she continues to develop and sharpen her skills and gain valuable experience at the national level.
Another Kogi representative, Dominion Joseph, also put up a commendable performance in the competition. Dominion narrowly lost to Mubarak in the quarter-finals but displayed exceptional skills, composure and remarkable potential throughout the championship.
The Coach and Technical Director of the Kogi State Table Tennis Association, Coach Friday Abah, commended the young players for their impressive performances. He noted that the players have improved tremendously since the last national competition they participated in and expressed optimism that their performances will continue to get better as they grow and gain more valuable exposure.
An elated Chairman of the Kogi State Table Tennis Association, Dr. Shaibu D. Mohammed, who was present at the final event, also expressed confidence in the future of the young athletes.
Despite the narrow losses suffered by some of the Kogi representatives, the chairman said he remains absolutely confident in their ability to improve and compete at even higher levels in subsequent competitions.
He noted that Kogi State is currently among the leading table tennis states in Nigeria, having produced a number of highly talented and exceptional players, including Samson Joshua, Ize Sezuo, Marvelous Joseph and several other promising athletes who continue to make the state proud.
Coach Friday Abah also appreciated the Chairman of the Kogi State Table Tennis Association, Dr. Shaibu D. Mohammed, as well as other spirited and passionate individuals who have continued to contribute their hard-earned resources towards the growth and development of table tennis in Kogi State.
He stressed that without the sacrifices and commitment of these individuals especially the Chairman Dr ShaibuDMohammed, the sport would still be struggling to achieve the level of progress currently being witnessed in the state.
With Agnes Friday’s bronze medal serving as another evidence of the abundance of young talent in Kogi, the state’s table tennis family will be hoping that this generation of players continues to receive the support, exposure and developmental opportunities needed to excel on the national and international
stage.*GODWIN WAMBEBE, MEDIA ASSISTANT KOGI STATE TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION**15TH AUGUST 2026*