TEAM Nigeria on Tuesday failed to win the bronze medal in the table tennis men’s team event at the ongoing Commonwealth Games as it lost 0-3 to the hosts, England in a one-sided affair.
Tom Jarvis and Paul Drinkhall got the ball rolling for England with an 11-6 11-7 11-7 win in the doubles over Bode Abiodun and Olajide Omotayo.
Liam Pitchford beat Africa’s highest rated player, Quadri Aruna 3-1 as the game ended in 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11- 6.
Drinkhall returned to deliver the final blow against 2019 African Games gold medallist, Omotayo, with a comfortable 11-4 11-2, 11-4 win to take the bronze.
Pitchford, who had been on the receiving end of two of England’s defeats in their semi-final against Singapore on Monday, said: “I feel a little bit indifferent. Obviously it is another medal to add to the collection.
“I’m still sore from last night, I didn’t get much sleep and I didn’t know if I would be playing today. I’m quite proud that I came out and proved, not only to myself but to everyone, that I can still play like that”.
India defended their title by beating Singapore 3-1 in the gold-medal match.
