Olufunke Oshonaike OLY, also known as Funke Oshonaike (born 28 April 1974) is a professional Nigeria table tennis player based in Hamburg, Germany. She is the only woman to compete at the Olympics seven times.

Olufunke Oshonaike
Personal information
Nationality Nigeria
Born (1974-04-28) 28 April 1974 (age 50)
Lagos, Nigeria
Height167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
SportTable Tennis
Medal record
Women's Table Tennis
Representing  Nigeria
All-Africa Games
Gold medal – first place 2007 Algiers Team
Silver medal – second place 2011 Maputo Singles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Maputo Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Maputo Mixed Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Maputo Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Brazzaville Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Brazzaville Mixed Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Algiers Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Algiers Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Brazzaville Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Brazzaville Doubles

She competed for Nigeria at the 2012, 2016, 2020, Summer Olympics.[1][2]

Oshonaike started her playing career in the early 1980s, when she was very young, on Akeju Street in Shomolu, Lagos.

She was a spectacle each time she played because she was very small and used to amaze people with her skill at that early age.

She attended Community Primary School, now known as Ola-Olu Primary School, Agunbiade, Shomolu, Lagos. In primary 4, she won a school competition and was honoured by the Headmaster, Mr G.O. Taiwo, on the assembly ground in front of her schoolmates.

After her primary education, she attended Igbobi Girls High School, Igbobi-Yaba; she left the school after completing SSCE to pursue her education at the University of Lagos, where she bagged a Diploma in Physical Education and thereafter pursued a professional career in Table Tennis abroad.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Oshonaike competed in the women's single division. In the preliminary round, she defeated Mariana Sahakian of Lebanon. In round 1, she was defeated by Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico.[3] She was the flagbearer for Nigeria during the Parade of Nations.[4]

She competed in the women's singles at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5] for the 7th time having previously qualified and participated in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016

References

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  1. ^ "Olufunke Oshonaike". London2012.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012.
  2. ^ "London 2012 Women's Table Tennis Singles". www.olympic.org. IOC. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  4. ^ "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". 16 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Table Tennis OSHONAIKE Olufunke". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
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Olympic Games
Preceded by Flagbearer for   Nigeria
Rio de Janeiro 2016
Succeeded by