Team Nigeria table tennis stunned as Quadri suffers shock exit

Captain of Team Nigeria, Aruna Quadri yesterday suffered a shocking exit in the men’s singles table tennis event in Tokyo as Team Nigeria’s misery at the 2020 Olympics continue. Aruna, who reached the quarter-finals of the event in Rio in 2016 lost 2-4 in the third round to Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi at the Tokyo Metropolitan […]

Captain of Team Nigeria, Aruna Quadri yesterday suffered a shocking exit in the men’s singles table tennis event in Tokyo as Team Nigeria’s misery at the 2020 Olympics continue.

Aruna, who reached the quarter-finals of the event in Rio in 2016 lost 2-4 in the third round to Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium 15-13 9-11 6-11 11-7 7-11 6-11.

Prior to his exit, Aruna’s three teammates in table tennis event, Funke Oshonaike, Offiong Edem, Olajide Omotayo were already eliminated.

While Oshonaike was eliminated in the preliminary round, Omotayo bowed out in the first round just as  Edem was knocked out in the second round, a situation the ITTF Africa finds quite disheartening.

Aruna made his third appearance at the Tokyo Olympics, having featured in London 2012 and Rio 2016 previously.

He qualified for the games on the basis of his rating, according to the June 2021 ITTF Olympic qualification ranking.

The ITTF Africa wrote: “Difficult result to take in from Tokyo as Africa’s highest-ranked player, Aruna Quadri, was eliminated from the 3rd round of the men’s singles earlier.

“It must be painful for Team Nigeria fans after seeing all their players exit the men’s and women’s singles events.”