Table Tennis
Aruna, Assar to renew rivalry in Nairobi
Quadri Aruna and Omar Assar will again take their rivalry to Nairobi, Kenya when the 2023 Africa Cup kicks off on May 4 to 6 at Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Kenya.
Aruna who missed out from the title in 2022 after suffering a thigh injury in the final to concede the title to Assar at 4-3 will be hoping to reclaim the title following his recent form at international tournaments across the globe.
Aruna, presently ranked the 12th in the world, is the highest ranked African in the world while Assar is rated 33rd as the second best rated African.
Current African best ranked female Dina Meshref is at present in fine form following her display at the just concluded WTT Champions in China will be up against compatriot and defending champion Hana Goda who claimed her first continental title in Lagos last year.
Each participating country is expected to present two players each in men and women events while Egypt as the defending champions in men and women will nominate two players alongside the two champions.
Kenya as host will present four players each in men and women events while Brian Mutua will lead the East African team against the visitors.
Already, the organisers of the tournament, Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) has assured of a top class event having staged the same event in 2018.
The Africa Club Championships will precede the Africa Cup and both tournaments would serve as dress rehearsals for the first World Championships to be staged in Africa in 84 years, which is due to take place in Durban, South Africa from May 20 to 28.
President of KTTA Andrew Mudibo has no iota of doubt that Kenya is ready to host Africa.
“The preparation is on course and Kenya will be ready to host all delegations to the event.
“Yes, Kenya has started to host major events again and this is in line with our development agenda in terms of developing the local talents we have. In the past Kenya hosted the ITTF World Cup and we have also hosted the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships and several African events,” the KTTA chief stated.
He continued: “For us in Kenya, every event that one participates in is always a unique event.
“Only the competitors and delegations will be able to give a testimony on the ups and downs of the event that Kenya is hosting once they arrive here. We believe that as usual, the event will be one of great experience and good memories, which all will talk about for many years. That is the uniqueness we hope to achieve.
“The Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium, which is the venue of the event, is ready. Set-up for the event will be done two days before the championships kick off. The rooms at Ibis Styles where the teams will put up are ready to receive each member of the delegation.
“Kenya has put in place a fast-track visa process for all delegations coming for the event. The transport from the airport to the hotel and hotel to the venue is ready and we believe everything will run smoothly,” Mudibo assured.
Mudibo added that teams should expect to see the rich culture of Kenya on display at the event. “We are considering having some Kenyan cultural dances at either the opening or closing ceremony. Definitely we shall have something,” he disclosed.
Mudibo stressed that the Kenyan outing promised to be exciting. “As a sport table tennis is a festival we Africans celebrate each day.
“We shall showcase to the world that Africa has what it takes to hold world-class events and I am sure this will be the case with the World Championships later in the month of May which South Africa would host.
“Africa has come a long way in terms of competitiveness. Through such events, our players should be able to catch up with the rest of the World. If Africa can produce local, good players like Hana Goda of Egypt, then the future of table tennis is quite bright for Africa. This is just the tip of the iceberg to display our talent,” the KTTA boss said.
Table Tennis
Nigeria, Togo Set to Defend Titles at 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships in Lagos
Defending champions Nigeria and Togo are gearing up to retain their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 19 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Nigeria, the region’s most decorated team, will defend its women’s team title, which it retained in Lomé last year. Meanwhile, Togo will aim to secure a second consecutive men’s team title, following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nigeria in the 2024 final.
This year’s championship will feature strong competition from across the region, with Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger Republic, and Sierra Leone joining the fray.
In the singles events, Nigeria’s top-ranked player, Matthew Kuti, will defend his men’s singles title. Kuti made history last year in Lomé by defeating Côte d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito 4-1 to claim his first regional crown. A repeat victory would make him the first male player to win back-to-back singles titles in the tournament’s history.
The women’s singles title is open for the taking following the absence of reigning champion Hope Udoaka of Nigeria, setting the stage for a new champion to emerge.
The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships, to be held later this year in Rwanda. With the advantage of home support and the largest player contingent, Nigeria is also eyeing a return to the top in the men’s team event.
Participation has reached a new high, with over 10 countries confirmed, surpassing previous editions that peaked at nine. Notably, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Niger Republic are returning to the competition after years of absence.
“All eyes will be on Nigeria,” said Ferdinand Sonou, Vice President of ITTF Africa West Region and former President of the Benin Table Tennis Federation. “Nigeria has a proven track record of hosting international competitions, and teams always look forward to playing here. This tournament marks the beginning of a series of international events in Lagos, and I believe we’ll witness the emergence of new stars alongside the established ones.”
Sonou also commended ITTF Africa President Wahid Enitan Oshodi for his continued support, noting that the increased number of participating teams reflects the growing strength of table tennis in the region.
The 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships promise high-stakes action, intense rivalries, and a celebration of West African table tennis excellence.
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Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Hana Goda are among the elite players set to compete at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025, taking place in Slovenia.
The WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025 boasts a prize pool of $300,000 and offers valuable ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking points.
The singles champions will receive $17,000 and 600 points, while the doubles champions will take home $5,500 and 600 points.
This highly anticipated event, hosted at Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana, has attracted a star-studded lineup of table tennis greats.
Aruna, currently ranked 24th in the world and the highest-ranked African player, is seeded No. 14 in the men’s singles and has received a bye into the second round (last 32). He is expected to face the winner between Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and China’s Xu Haidong on Friday, June 20.
Similarly, Goda, seeded No. 15 in the women’s singles, also received a bye into the second round. She is set to face the winner between Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and South Korea’s Joo Cheonhui.
Some of the world’s best players will battle it out over five events in what promises to be a week-long table tennis spectacle.
Leading the charge in the men’s singles is Brazilian star and 2025 World Championships runner-up, Hugo Calderano.
Known as the “Thrill from Brazil,” Calderano returns to Slovenia with bold ambition, looking to defend his title from last year’s triumph.
Joining him are global heavyweights including Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, winner of the Men’s Singles title at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025; Felix Lebrun, champion at WTT Champions Montpellier 2024; and Slovenian home favourite Darko Jorgic.
In the women’s singles, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto headlines the field after claiming the title at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025. Her compatriot Hina Hayata is also back to defend her title from last year’s Ljubljana tournament.
Other strong contenders include South Korea’s Shin Yubin, seeking her first WTT Star Contender title, as well as Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and China’s Qian Tianyi, both of whom are expected to make deep runs in the competition
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Participants in the table tennis event of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, will be vying for a total of 46 gold medals up for grabs.
The table tennis competition features athletes across three categories: able-bodied, para-athletes, and deaf athletes. Seven gold medals are available in the able-bodied category, while deaf athletes will contest for five gold medals. Para-athletes will compete for a whopping 34 gold medals across various events, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and team events.
In the able-bodied category, athletes will compete in singles (for men and women), doubles (for men and women), mixed doubles, and team events (for men and women). Deaf athletes will contest in singles (men and women), doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles.
Para-athletes will participate in four team events—men’s classes 1–5 and 6–10, and women’s classes 1–5 and 6–10. There will also be 18 singles events for men and women, eight doubles events, and four mixed doubles events.
Delta State dominates the seeding lists for both able-bodied and para-athlete categories. Fatimo Bello of Delta State is the top seed in the women’s singles, while Bayelsa’s Olajide Omotayo leads the men’s singles. Lagos and Oyo States top the seedings in the deaf singles events.
According to the tournament referee, Ranti Lajide, this year’s tournament promises to be thrilling, especially with the inclusion of Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
“Lajide said: “We are going to witness top-class table tennis, especially from players who recently featured in the ITTF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
“The knockout format of this year’s tournament will make it even more exciting and competitive. I hope we can conclude all matches before the closing ceremony on May 29,” Ranti said.
“The turnout of teams has been impressive, even from states that haven’t traditionally featured in the table tennis events of the NSF. Beyond the medals, I believe the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) will be able to discover new talents for future development,” he added.
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