Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri has successfully defended his title in the men’s singles category at the 2023 ITTF African Championships, emerging victorious in the final match against Egypt’s Ahmed Saleh, which took place on Sunday.
Aruna Quadri, the top seed at the ITTF African Championships, delivered a convincing performance with a 4-0 win over Saleh, solidifying his grasp on the title he first secured in Algeria last year. The victory held special significance for Aruna Quadri, who had previously experienced both triumph and disappointment in Tunis. He recalled missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to an injury at the same venue. Winning another title in Tunis allowed him to create a positive memory and served as a source of happiness.
In Aruna’s own words, “I am happy with the title because I have a good and bad memory of Tunis, having got injured here during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualification. Winning another title here is good to erase the bad memory. This win will remain with me for a long time. I am happy, and I look forward to the next challenge.”
Before Aruna Quadri’s remarkable victory, seven-time Olympian Funke Oshonaike joined forces with rising star Fatimo Bello to secure the gold medal for Nigeria in the women’s doubles event on the preceding Saturday. Their achievement marked a historic moment as they became the first Nigerians to win a gold medal in the highly competitive tournament held in Tunis, Tunisia.
Teenage Sensation Hana Goda Claims Women’s Singles Title at ITTF African Championships
Meanwhile, the 2023 ITTF African Championships also witnessed Egyptian teenage sensation Hana Goda dethroning her compatriot Dina Meshref to claim the women’s singles title during the final day of competition in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.
Hana Goda, a two-time Africa Cup champion, demonstrated her prowess with an impressive 4-1 win in the final encounter against defending champion Dina Meshref. The 15-year-old Goda expressed her excitement, describing the victory as “special” and emphasising the support she received from Tunisian fans.
It’s worth noting that the ITTF Africa Championship serves as a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the Egyptians demonstrated their dominance by securing multiple Olympic spots across various events.