Nigeria’s top table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, is optimistic about his prospects of securing a medal at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11 in France.
Aruna, seeded 14th in the men’s singles event, will commence his Olympic campaign in the second round on July 28 at the South Paris Arena. This seeding, determined by the International Table Tennis Federation, reflects Aruna’s retention of the 19th position in the latest world rankings.
Making his fourth Olympic appearance, Aruna aims to surpass his previous best performance—a quarter-final finish at the Rio 2016 Games.
“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,” 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,” he added.
Reflecting on his past performances, Aruna noted, “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.”
Assessing his chances against top opponents, Aruna stated, “Against the Chinese, it’s like 60–40, and against other Asians, I can tell you that it’s 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.”
As Aruna prepares for the Paris 2024 Olympics, fans and supporters are hopeful that he will achieve his goal of bringing home a medal.
