Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has reclaimed the International Table Tennis Federation Africa Cup, triumphing over Egypt’s Mohamed El Beiali 4-0 at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
The one-sided final showcased Aruna’s dominance as he effortlessly defeated El Beiali 11-5, 11-6, 12-10, 11-3, clinching the coveted Africa Cup title for the first time since 2017.
This victory marked a significant achievement for Aruna, who had faced setbacks in the past, losing the last five finals to Egyptian duo, Omar Assar and Ahmed Saleh.
Despite these challenges, Aruna persevered, and it took him six finals to reclaim the men’s singles title.
The final encounter between Aruna and El Beiali was their 13th meeting, with the Egyptian aiming for his first singles title.
However, Aruna’s skill and determination proved insurmountable, securing his place as the new Africa Cup champion and reaffirming his status as a table tennis powerhouse.
“I never gave up on my dream, it doesn’t matter where you come from,” Aruna told ITTF Africa after the game.
“I come from a small place in Oyo State in Nigeria, and it was really difficult growing up, I just want to tell them that something great is very possible to happen in every individual. There was never an easy win in any competition, and I am happy that I gave my best and my best result in the victory. It has always been in me not to give up, even when I am down. I am happy that all my hard work paid off with the victory,” the African No.1 said.
In the semi-finals, Aruna avenged his African Games defeat to Egypt’s Youssef Abdel-Aziz with a commanding 4-1 win, while El-Beiali repeated the same score margin against Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo.
In the women’s singles final, Dina Meshref prevailed over Mariam Alhodaby in an all-Egyptian match, securing her seventh title and her first win since 2020. Meshref had earlier defeated Nigeria’s Offiong Edem 4-0 to reach the final, while Alhodaby displayed flawless form in the semi-finals against defending champion Hana Goda, also winning 4-0.
The tournament featured over 50 players from 15 countries, setting the stage for the African Olympic Qualification Tournament, scheduled from May 16 to 18.
