As the 2024 ITTF Africa Cup and Africa Olympic Qualification Tournament get under way in Kigali, Rwanda, with an international press conference on Saturday, May 11, the host country has surpassed expectations, especially in terms of the world-class facilities the government and people of Rwanda have put in place at the 10,000-capacity BK Arena for both events.
Consequently, it was the elated President of the Rwanda Table Tennis Federation (RTTF), John Birungi, who spoke at the press conference, pitching Rwanda’s readiness to host bigger sporting events like the world championships to emulate Egypt and South Africa.
Birungi, who brimmed with great enthusiasm, said, “I am so happy that it has become a reality that we are hosting two major competitions on the continental calendar. This is the first time we are hosting major African championships in the year of the Olympic Games. We are very ambitious and capable of hosting WTT events to toe the line of Egypt and South Africa, the only two African nations to have hosted the world championships.
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“We are very grateful to the ITTF and the ATTF for considering us and their firm belief in us that we can stage a major competition of this status. This would not have been possible without the huge support of the Government of Rwanda and other supporters, and we are not taking this for granted. We are confident that we can do bigger events in the near future.”
Thrilled by the state-of-the-art venue, the BK Arena, President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, lauded the Birungi-led board of the RTTF for matching their words with action with the quality of the venue and other facilities in place for the tournament.
“I am so excited that this is a reality based on the promise made when the hosting rights were awarded to Rwanda in Tunis last year. From the look of things, it is clear that Rwanda is capable. They have shown great ambition with what they have put in place. We are very excited that they are hosting a tournament of this magnitude for the first time. They have put everything in place to ensure a hitch-free event,” El-Salhy said.
The 2024 ITTF Africa Cup and Africa Olympic Qualification Tournament will be held from May 12 to 18. 17 countries will compete in the three-day tournament.