Emmanuel Commey And Eva Adom-Amankwah Share Honours At 2021 Homowo Challenge Open

Reigning best table tennis player, Emmanuel Commey beat former national top seed, Derek Abrefa, in a five-set thriller to win the 2021 Homowo Tennis Challenge Championship held at the Hathiramani Sports Hall of the Accra Stadium last Saturday.

The two finalists were very confident of putting up a great show after Abrefa has beaten Bernard Joe Sam in another five-setter, and Commey taken care of Ernest Mawutor 3-1in a hot battle.

The two officers of the Ghana Immigration Service dished our a classic game, as Commey prevailed in the fifth set to win the clash 3-2 for a deserved victory to claim the winner's trophy and cash prize of GH¢2,400.

The event dubbed: 'Kpalongo Spins and Smashes' to commemorate the annual Ga Homowo festival, was organised by the Ghana Table Tennis Association(GTTA) with sponsorship from Stanbic Bank, KFC and other corporate partners like the Graphic Sports.

The challenge attracted 280 participants, including 48 female players, comprising experience players and rising stars like 13-year-old prodigy, Emmanuella Yaa Kyere, whose skills and masterful display excited the spectators in a packed hall, including onetime African table tennis queen, Ethel Jacks, SWAG President, Mr Kwabena Yeboah, and GTTA President, Mr Mawuko Afadzinu.

The women's final was also delightful to watch as young Eva Adom-Amankwah of the Ghana Army defeated experienced Cynthia Kwabi of Ghana Immigration Service 3-0.

Eva was presented the winner’s trophy and GH¢2,400 by three-time African champion, Ethel Jacks.

Second placed, Abrefa and Cynthia each went home with GH¢1,200, while Sam and Mawutor got GH¢600 for finishing joint-third in the men's competition.

Rising star Matilda Foli of the Volta Region finished third ahead of fourth-placed Bernice Borquaye of the Ghana Navy, each of whom went home with GH¢600.

The acting Technical Director of the GTTA, Mr Charles Tachie-Menson, said the tournament formed part of the preparations for the top eight national male and female players in the country

GTTA President Mr Afadzinu, who was happy at the class of play, announced that eight players would represent Ghana at the West African Championship in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 1-4.

He admonished the players to fly high Ghana's flag in Lagos and bring back the smiles and "give people a reason to believe in the potential of table tennis in Ghana.

According to Afadzinu, the GTTA would organise the annual D.G. Hathiramani tournament, the biggest event on the sport's calendar before the the year ends.

From Sammy Heywood Okine