Nigeria’s table tennis ace, Quadri Aruna, is brimming with confidence as he gears up for his fourth Olympic Games in Paris. The experienced athlete, currently ranked 19th in the world, has been seeded 14th in the men’s singles event, granting him a bye to the second round.
Aruna, who achieved a quarter-final finish at the Rio Olympics in 2016, is determined to improve on that result and secure a podium spot in Paris. He has been rigorously training and competing in international tournaments to prepare for the Games.
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Quadri Aruna remains optimistic
While acknowledging the formidable challenge posed by Chinese dominance in table tennis, Quadri Aruna remains optimistic about his chances against other top-tier opponents. His goal is to surpass his previous Olympic performance and bring home a medal for Nigeria.
“Immediately after we finished in Tokyo, the preparation had already started. I’ve played in several international tournaments in different places. I can say that I am well prepared,” Quadri Aruna told Sportsville.
“The goals are the same; you know, everyone wants to do well and everyone wants to win a medal, but sometimes it is not all about winning a medal. It’s about giving your best.
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“Don’t forget 2016 in Rio; I was very close to winning a medal. I got to the quarterfinals, but four years later, it was not the same performance, but it is what it is. Nothing is really for sure, but this time around, I strongly believe that I will do my best.”
He also rated his chances against some of his opponents from the supposed table tennis countries.
“Against the Chinese, it’s like 60–40, and against other Asians, I can tell you that is 50–50. I have won against some Chinese players and am just yet to win against world No. 1 and world No. 2. My objective is to do much more than I did in Tokyo and get something better than I did in Rio.”
The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, with the table tennis competition commencing on July 28.
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