Monday Merotohun

Monday Merotohun (born 2 November 1977 in Ado-Odo, Ogun) is a Nigerian table tennis player.[3] Playing with his partner Segun Toriola, Merotohun defeated Egypt's El-sayed Lashin and Ahmed Saleh for the gold medal in the men's doubles at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria.[4] As of September 2012, Merotohun is ranked no. 184 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).[2] He is a member of AS TT Sport Club Etna Riposto in Catania, Sicily, Italy, and is coached and trained by Obisanya Babatunde.[1] Merotohun is also right-handed, and uses the shakehand grip.[1]

Monday Merotohun
Nationality Nigeria
Born (1977-11-02) 2 November 1977
Ado-Odo, Ogun, Nigeria
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Table tennis career
Playing styleRight-handed, shakehand[1]
Highest ranking184 (August 2002)[2]
Current ranking292 (September 2012)[2]
ClubAS TT Sport Club Etna
Riposto[1]
Medal record
Men's table tennis
Representing  Nigeria
All-Africa Games
Gold medal – first place 2007 Algiers Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2007 Algiers Singles
Silver medal – second place 2007 Algiers Team
Silver medal – second place 2011 Maputo Mixed doubles

Merotohun made his official debut at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he competed in both the singles and doubles tournaments. For his first event, the men's singles, Merotohun defeated Democratic Republic of the Congo's Momo Babungu in the preliminary round, before losing out his next match to Swedish table tennis player and five-time Olympian Jörgen Persson, with a set score of 1–4.[5] Merotohun also teamed up with four-time Olympian Segun Toriola in the men's doubles, where they lost the first round match to the U.S. pair, Mark Hazinski and Ilija Lupulesku (former Olympic silver medalist from Serbia), receiving a unanimous set score of 0–4.[6][7]

Four years after competing in his first Olympics, Merotohun qualified for his second Nigerian team, as a 30-year-old, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by placing second from the men's singles from the All-Africa Games, and receiving a continental spot for Africa in the men's team under ITTF's Computer Team Ranking List.[8] Merotohun joined with his fellow players Kazeem Nosiru and Segun Toriola for the inaugural men's team event. He and his team placed third in the preliminary pool round, earning a total of four points, two defeats (against Japan and Hong Kong), and a single victory over the Russian team (led by Alexei Smirnov).[9][10] In the men's singles, Merotohun lost the preliminary round match to Turkey's Cem Zeng, with a set score of 2–4.[11]

References
  1. "ITTF World Player Profile – Monday Merotohun". ITTF. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  2. "ITTF World Ranking – Monday Merotohun". ITTF. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  3. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Monday Merotohun". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  4. "African table tennis qualifiers to Beijing Olympic Games unveiled". Xinhua News Agency. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  5. "Table Tennis: Men's Singles". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 12 August 2004. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  6. "Table Tennis: Men's Doubles". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 12 August 2004. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  7. "Olympics: Hazinski, Lupulesku wake up, win in doubles opener". Scripps Howard News Service. Naples Daily News. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  8. Marshall, Ian (22 July 2007). "Hat-Trick for Segun Toriola in All Nigerian Final". ITTF. Archived from the original on 29 December 2013. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  9. "Men's Team Group D (HKG–NGR)". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  10. "Men's Team Group D (NGR–RUS)". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  11. "Men's Singles Preliminary Round". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
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