As the defending champion in the men’s singles, Aruna Quadri tops the list of the eight-man team listed by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) for the 2019 ITTF Africa Cup holding on August 3 to 5 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
According to the tournament guidelines, each participating African country is expected to register two men and two men that will compete in the tournament which serves as the continental qualifiers for the ITTF World Cup.
As the host, Nigeria is expected to register four men and four women and Aruna Quadri being the defending champion will increase the number of Nigeria’s representatives to five.
In the list of players released by NTTF, Aruna Quadri will be joined in the men’s singles by Segun Toriola, Bode Abiodun, and Olajide Omotayo while the surprise inclusion is a junior sensation, Taiwo Mati, who won the All African Games trials.
National women’s singles champion – Fatimo Bello worked her way into the women team as she will be competing alongside Olufunke Oshonaike, Edem Offiong and Ajoke Ojomu, who made World Championship debut in Budapest, Hungary earlier this year.
Also, there are strong indications that Mati may be included in the team to the 2019 All Africa Games in Morocco.
At the 2019 African Junior Championships in Ghana, Mati showed his class claiming the cadet and doubles event. At the national trials for All African Games, Mati defied all odds to emerge as the best in the country.
It was this feat that promoted the federation to be considering his inclusion in the men’s team.
Already, the preliminary list of Team Nigeria has been submitted to the organizers but as it is Mati may be on his way to Morocco.
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According to NTTF, the board believes exposing Mati to top-class tournament in Morocco would boost his confidence and prepare the Ondo State-born for top International competitions.