I Won My First Table Tennis Tournament at Age 11 – Aruna Quadri

I Won My First Table Tennis Tournament at Age 11 – Aruna Quadri

By Boluwaji Ogunmola

Africa’s number 1 table tennis player Aruna Quadri has revealed how he needed to win his first table tennis tournament to win the support of his parent.

Quadri said he had to sneak out of the house to play the game as his parent wanted him to focus on his studies and not sport. All of these changed the moment the Oyo State born table tennis player won his first table tennis tournament at age 11 in Lagos.

Aruna Quadri made this disclosure during a Skype interview with BCOS Sport Presenter Boluwaji Ogunmola on Monday, while appearing for the first time ever on a Television station from his home state.

“I started playing table tennis on the street of Oyo my home town for fun just like everyone playing football on the street, I was very happy I chose table tennis, I was lucky enough to meet a man called Oluwole, he own table tennis hall in Oyo Town, he saw some time of talent in me, he quickly took me to the hall, I started playing indoor table tennis, and after years of practice I went to Lagos to play my first ever table tennis tournament, I think I was 11 then, surprisingly I won,”

“Initially my Parent wanted me to focus on my Education, they wanted me to go to school, put more concentration on my academics, but in the end I was lucky enough that I won my first ever tournament, my name was everywhere, they were so surprised, for that reason, they (my parent) have no choice but to give me a chance to play table tennis.”

Quadri started the New Year as the 18th world best player following the release of the January 2020 ranking by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).