Matti eyes 2028 Olympic qualification

Kwara-born table tennis player Tobi Matti has intensified his ambition of reaching the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as he continues his professional career in Italy and targets improved global ranking performances, PidomNigeria Sports Extra reports.

The 25-year-old, who has spent more than five years competing professionally in Italy, said qualifying for the Olympics remains his primary objective as he seeks to establish himself among the sport’s elite.

Framing his long-term ambition around the Games, Matti said the 2028 Olympics represent the clearest measure of his progress and career direction, while also acknowledging the difficulties he has faced in pursuit of that goal.

“My goal is to participate in the 2028 Olympics and also attend multiple international tournaments, and that ambition has shaped my journey despite the challenges I face in trying to progress at this level,” Matti told our correspondent.

The Italy-based player, who features for TT Centro Sportivo Bonacossa, also spoke about the financial strain of competing internationally without consistent sponsorship, saying he has largely depended on personal funding to sustain his career.

He added that the lack of structured support has made participation in overseas competitions difficult, though he remains determined to continue competing at the highest possible level.

“My experience pursuing my professional aspirations internationally has been quite demanding due to the absence of sponsorship,” he said.

Matti began playing table tennis at the age of eight while studying in Nigeria, later pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Kwara State Polytechnic.

He has represented Nigeria at several international events, including the ITTF Nigeria Open between 2013 and 2018, as well as the 2019 Portugal Open and the Africa Senior Table Tennis Team Championship.

His career in Europe has also included domestic success, notably winning a league title with TT Ennio Cristofaro after several near misses in previous seasons.

Reflecting on that achievement, Matti said persistence played a key role in finally securing silverware after multiple unsuccessful attempts.

“Winning the league title has been challenging. As the team’s number one player, my team and I struggled for three years, consistently finishing second or third. We eventually secured the league title in our third year,” he said.

In the most recent campaign, Matti finished fourth with Tennistavolo Torre del Greco ASD, continuing his steady presence in Italy’s competitive table tennis structure.

Matti has also remained committed to giving back to his home state, previously donating table tennis equipment to young players in Kwara as part of efforts to support grassroots development.

He said he hopes his career progression will enable him to inspire the next generation of Nigerian players, while also calling for greater financial support for athletes in the sport.

“Nigeria is really blessed with a lot of talents, but players need support to attend tournaments and training camps because table tennis is an expensive sport to play,” he added.

Matti now hopes his continued development in Europe will eventually translate into Olympic qualification and the chance to represent Nigeria on the world stage in 2028.