Cynthia Kwabi has successfully defended her crown at the Sheroes 3 “Show Time” Championship, overcoming a fierce comeback attempt to remain the golden girl of Ghanaian table tennis.
The Ghana Immigration Service star secured her title in a pulsating 4–3 victory over Joanita Borteye on Saturday, February 21, at the DG Hathiramani Sports Hall in Accra.
The final lived up to its “Show Time” billing, delivering a high-stakes drama that kept the Accra crowd on the edge of their seats.
Mr. Kwabi appeared to be cruising toward an effortless victory after clinching the opening three games 11-9, 13-11, and 11-7.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically as Borteye refused to surrender. In a stunning display of grit, Borteye clawed back into the match, taking the next three games 11-6, 11-7, and 11-9 to level the score at 3-3.
With the championship on the line in the deciding seventh game, Kwabi’s experience shone through.
She regrouped to win 11-6, sealing her status as the tournament’s back-to-back champion.
Cynthia Kwabi’s journey to the podium was defined by resilience. Her tournament nearly ended prematurely in the quarter-finals, where she performed a “miracle” escape against Emerald Borteye, overturning a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3.
She followed that escape with a dominant 4-1 semi-final display against the Ghana Armed Forces’ Eva Adom-Amankwaa, setting the stage for Saturday’s grand finale.
Speaking after her victory, Kwabi credited her tactical edge to a recent high-performance training tour in China, facilitated by the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA).
“I went for a training tour together with Joanita Borteye and Israel Aklie last year in China as a coach,” Kwabi explained. “I learnt a lot from the Chinese and I used the experience I had in this tournament.”
She also praised the GTTA leadership, specifically President Mawuko Afadzinu, for investing in the sport’s international exposure.
There is little time for the champion to rest. The domestic circuit now moves to the Ashanti Region for the GTTA Otumfuo Smash Tournament in Kumasi next week.
Cynthia further warned her rivals that she is far from finished: “If you know Cynthia Kwabi, you will know that I am always training and expect massive performance from me in the GTTA Otumfuo Smash Tournament set for next week.”
Source: Ekow Segu
