Aruna exits of ITTF World Championship in blaze of glory

Aruna Quadri’s historic run at the ongoing ITTF World Championship in Houston came to an end yesterday following a 4-2 loss to Sweden’s Truls Moregard in the quarter-finals of the Men’s singles event. The poster boy of Nigerian table tennis had made history when he became the first African to make it to the round […]

Aruna Quadri’s historic run at the ongoing ITTF World Championship in Houston came to an end yesterday following a 4-2 loss to Sweden’s Truls Moregard in the quarter-finals of the Men’s singles event.

The poster boy of Nigerian table tennis had made history when he became the first African to make it to the round of 16 at the world championship. 

Quadri who had earlier defeated a Swedish Kristian Karlsson in the round of 16 bemoaned his inability to tame the young and skillful 19-year-old Swede after falling behind in the first two games of the 4-2 (13-11, 11-8, 2-11, 11-4, 12-14, 11-7) loss in the quarter finals.

“I think I did very well, I gave my heart and soul but the last match was not meant to be,” Aruna admitted. 

While acknowledging his history-making feat in Houston which saw him become the first African player to reach the last 16 and quarter finals in the history of the championships, Aruna believes it would motivate more players from the continent to do better in subsequent editions.

“It will motivate them, you know when Toriola got to the round of 32 in the Olympic games, it motivated so many of us. So I was in the quarter final in Rio, Omar Assar was motivated and excited, he did the same in Tokyo. Now what I did here, I am very sure Omotayo, Iba or Omar Assar can even do better,” said Aruna.