Chioma Amajor and He Ling have emerged champions of the 7th China-NUJ FCT Table Tennis Tournament held in Abuja.
Amajor, representing the NUJ Abuja Correspondents Chapel, defeated Nie Xiaohua of the Chinese Cultural Centre 11–2, 8–11, 11–9 in the female singles final to claim the top prize.
In the male singles category, China’s He Ling clinched the title, with Wang Yongtao finishing second and Ignatius Nkoh of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) taking third place.
Declaring the event open, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, commended the sustained friendship, collaboration and sportsmanship between the NUJ and the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nigeria.
She noted that table tennis represents more than just competition, describing it as “a celebration of skill, agility and perseverance, values that resonate deeply with the spirit of journalism and the unity it upholds.”
Comrade Ike expressed appreciation to the China Cultural Centre for its continuous support:
“We are grateful for their partnership and dedication to strengthening ties between our communities,” she said.
Victor Okoye of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), making his debut in the tournament, also impressed. He defeated his Chinese opponent in the Round of 32 in straight sets, and later beat his colleague Fortune Abang 2–0 in the Round of 16 before exiting in the quarter-finals to top-rated Chinese player Gao Qian after a thrilling two-set battle.
In the men’s doubles category, Wang Yongtao and He Ling emerged champions, while Shi Changqiang and Xui Haita finished as runners-up. Ignatius Okoh and Nwokocha placed third.
For the mixed doubles, Shi Changqiang and Che Huiling won the top prize, with He Ling and Nie Xiaohua placing second, while Tan Jian and Wan Lu finished third.
Winners in each category received cash prizes of N250,000, runners-up received N200,000, while third-place finishers took home N150,000.
Speaking earlier at the opening ceremony, the Director of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Mr. Tang Jianxing, described the competition as part of “table tennis diplomacy.”
He highlighted the strong bond between Nigeria and China, noting that Nigeria ranks among China’s top five friendly nations.
Jianxing, who also serves as Cultural Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, praised Nigerian journalists for their role in strengthening bilateral relations.
“Without your understanding, focus on China, and appreciation of Chinese culture, the mutually beneficial cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership between our countries would not stand the test of time,” he said.
