OSHONAIKE Olufunke

Date of Birth: 28 Oct 1975

Age: 45

Gender: Female

Place of birth: LAGOS

Birth Country:

Nigeria

Place of residence : HAMBURG

Residence Country:

Germany

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Table Tennis	Women's Singles	65

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium Table 2	Women's Singles Preliminary Round #2 NGR OSHONAIKE OOSHONAIKE Olufunke 1 USA LIU JLIU Juan 4	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Olympic Games

Year	Location	Singles	Doubles W	Team
2016	Rio de Janeiro, BRA	1R	-	-
2012	London, GBR	1R	-	-
2008	Beijing, CHN	-	-	1R
2004	Athens, GRE	2R	2R	-
2000	Sydney, NSW, AUS	1R	1R	-
1996	Atlanta, GA, USA	Prel. Rnd	Prel. Rnd	-

World Championships

Year	Location	Singles	Doubles W	Doubles X	Team
2019	Budapest, HUN	-	-	1R	-
2017	Dusseldorf, GER	1R	1R	1R	-
2016	Kuala Lumpur, MAS	-	-	-	45
2015	Suzhou, CHN	1R	2R	1R	-
2014	Tokyo, JPN	-	-	-	37
2012	Dortmund, GER	-	-	-	42
2010	Moscow, RUS	-	-	-	54
2008	Guangzhou, CHN	-	-	-	46
2007	Zagreb, CRO	-	-	1R	-
2006	Bremen, GER	-	-	-	41
2005	Shanghai, CHN	1R	1R	1R	-
2004	Doha, QAT	-	-	-	35
2003	Paris, FRA	-	1R	-	-
2001	Osaka, JPN	1R	1R	1R	30
1999	Eindhoven, NED	1R	2R	1R	-

African Games

Year	Location	Singles	Doubles W	Doubles X	Team
2019	Rabat, MAR	Quarterfinals	2	QF	2

African Championships

Year	Location	Singles	Doubles W	Doubles X	Team
2018	Port Louis, MRI	3R	QF	2	2
2016	Agadir, MAR	1	-	2	-

Legend
W - Winner, RU - Runner-up, SF - Semifinal, QF - Quarterfinal, 4R - 4th Round, 3R - 3rd Round, 2R - 2nd Round, 1R - 1st Round, Prel. Rnd - Preliminary Round, L16 - Last 16, L32 - Last 32, L64 - Last 64, M - Men, W - Women, X - Mixed

Occupation:

Athlete, Logistics

Health Education, Physical Education - University of Lagos, Nigeria

Languages spoken:

English, German, Italian

Right (ITTF, 02 Aug 2016)

In 2020 she underwent surgery for a tooth tumour, the costs of which were partly covered by Nigeria's Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare. (thenewsnigeria.com, 17 Sep 2020)

She took up table tennis at age nine in Lagos, Nigeria. (itffoundation.org, 10 Dec 2020)

She began playing after watching her brother. "Playing table tennis has been part of me right from when I was young. You know in an environment where you have lots of guys around, you tend to try yourself in so many sports. I started playing table tennis on bricks, then I moved to anything that looked like tables. Later we moved to pavements, anything that was just convenient for us to play the game." (itffoundation.org, 10 Dec 2020; completesportsnigeria, 04 Feb 2012; nigerianbestforum.com, 27 Feb 2011; Athlete, 01 Sep 2000)

To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (makingofchamps.com, 22 Jan 2021; ittffoundation.org, 10 Dec 2020)

Her father. (newtelegraphonline.com, 20 Feb 2016)

Philosophy:

"Always carry yourself in high esteem. You can be who you want to be with determination, dedication and discipline. Never allow anybody to pull you down. The world is like a rollercoaster, never give up on your dream. Stay away from negative people and anything or anyone that's telling you that you can't make it because you're a woman. Remember, you're you and you're unique." (itffoundation.org, 10 Dec 2020)

General Interest

Grip
Shakehand (ITTF, 02 Aug 2016)

Style of play
Attack (ITTF, 02 Aug 2016)

General
FOUNDATION
She runs the Funke Oshonaike Foundation in Nigeria that aims to coach and support young table tennis players to reach their potential. "Sport in Nigeria now is different from when I started. Back then, every month, we went for one competition or the other. Now, it's hard for them to have competition every three or four months. Instead of coming to the country and complaining about how they are doing things here, I felt I could make an impact. I decided to bring Hamburg to Nigeria by giving back to the young ones, so as to encourage them. A lot of them are frustrated and many have given up. Yet a whole lot of them are talented. The kids make me happy. I am 100% happy about it. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing all the young, poor players happy with the little I gave them." (ittf.com, 29 Apr 2017; itffoundation.org, 10 Dec 2020)

SURVIVOR
While studying at university in Nigeria during the 1990s, she was in an abusive relationship, and wants to use her experiences to help others. "Everything I've gone through has made me a mentor to others. I am able to share my stories with women who have been victims and encourage them to not give up on themselves. I hope more women will be bold enough to come out and speak up." On International Women's Day in 2020, she spoke at an International Table Tennis Federation Foundation conference on the need for girls' empowerment through sport, through organisations such as her foundation. "I've been through racism, discrimination, violence and abuses from men. I've been through a lot in my life as a woman. I gave love but I was abandoned when I needed help, but all that I've been through made me better and stronger. I am a survivor." (makingofchamps.com 08 Mar 2021; bbc.co.uk, 14 Jul 2020; olympics.com, 18 May 2021)

Milestones

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro she became the first female table tennis player from any nation to compete in the sport at six Olympic Games. Her appearance in Rio also made her the first female athlete to represent Nigeria in any sport at six Olympic Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 20 May 2021)

At 36 years and 274 days, she became the oldest female Nigerian athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in any sport when she played in the first round of the women's singles at the 2012 Games in London, a record she increased to age 40 years and 283 days at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 20 May 2021)

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/funkesweet

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos