The city of Tamale came alive on May 30 as Table Tennis Hawks successfully staged the Damba Table Tennis Championship under the auspices of the Ghana Table Tennis Association. The championship brought together top table tennis players from across the country for a thrilling day of competition.
The Tamasco Assembly Hall was the centre of attraction as players battled for supremacy and bragging rights in the Men’s, Women’s, U-19 Boys, and U-19 Girls categories, treating spectators to exciting rallies and high-level performances.
Ghana’s rising star, Joanita Borteye, emerged as the standout performer, winning double gold in the U-19 Girls and Women’s Singles. In the U-19 Girls category, Joanita cruised past Naomi Yeboah 3-0 before overpowering Lovelyn Ofori in the final with a commanding 3-0 victory (11-4, 11-9, 11-7).
In the U-19 Boys division, Michael Mensah booked his place in the final with a convincing 3-0 win over Hamza Issah (12-10, 11-4, 11-7). The final, however, ended prematurely after Richard Ofori was forced to withdraw due to a severe muscle strain, handing Michael Mensah the title.
The Women’s Singles category showcased some of the finest talents in the country. Joanita Borteye edged past Augustina Baidoo in a tense semi-final encounter before defeating Cynthia Kwabi 3-1 in the final to complete her impressive double triumph.
The Men’s Singles final provided one of the highlights of the championship. James Marfo defeated Emmanuel Commey 3-1 in the semi-finals before silencing the home crowd with a 3-1 victory over Mohammed Ali in the final (11-5, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7). The win marked James Marfo’s second local title of the year.
Individual awards were also presented to outstanding performers, including Lovelyn Ofori and Frederick Mensah (Promising Players), Naomi Yeboah and John Joshua Abaidoo (Discovery), Michael Mensah (Fair Play), Joanita Borteye (Most Disciplined), and Mohammed Ali (Most Exciting Player).
Winners received cash prizes and medals, bringing a successful and memorable Damba Table Tennis Championship to a close in Tamale.
By; Victoria Kwofie
