ITTF Nigeria Open: World Cup medalist in search of personal goal

By Our Reporter

SAM Walker has been part of the successes recorded by England in the last four years. His first feat with the English team was winning silver medal in the men’s team event of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. His performance at the 2016 World Team Championship in Malaysia again earned England a bronze medal being England's first medal at that level since 1983 and the first time a newly promoted team had earned a podium place at the event.

 In 2018, Sam Walker was also part of the bronze medal winning team at the ITTF World Team Cup in London. In his second appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, the 23-year-old was also part of the English team.

However, Sam Walker will be embarking on another journey in his career to the 2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open in the city of Lagos, Nigeria on August 8 to 12, 2018.

For Sam Walker, it is a personal goal that propels him to travel to Nigeria. “I decided to be part of the 2018 Nigeria Open for my individual goals. The Challenge Series are important for me and the Nigerian Open is part of that model. So it’s a good opportunity for to try and perform and reach the later rounds of the tournament,” he said.

Despite not having enough information about the quality of the tournament, Sam Walker said: “I haven’t heard that much to be honest about Nigeria Open. I know it holds in Lagos almost every year and this year the tournament fits in with my schedule so I’m looking forward to taking part.”

On his expectations, he said: “I’m looking forward to competing of course! But I’ve also never been to Nigeria before and so I’m always excited to visit new countries!

“It will be my second time in Africa, I played the World Junior Championships in Morocco in 2014 when I was younger, but it will be my first time in Nigeria,” he added.

For his target, Sam Walker said: “My target for the tournament is to perform at my level and then we will see what the outcome is. It will be the first tournament of my season and so it’s just important for me to perform on the level that I know I can play and then I know I have a chance to challenge for the title.”