Africa’s highest-ranked player in the table tennis event of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Quadri Aruna was yesterday beaten 4-2 in the third round of the men’s singles by Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi at the Tokyo Park.
Aruna became the first African to reach the quarterfinal at the Olympic Games at Rio 2016 in Brazil but that feat has been equalled by Omar Assar after the Egyptian star reached the quarterfinal stage of the men’s singles event at Tokyo 2020.
Despite his defeat, a disappointed Aruna was full of praises for Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare: “Without doubt, Sports Minister Dare has done a lot to change sports and athletes welfare in his short time. His adopt an athlete initiative has impacted so much on many athletes. I feel disappointed I could not get a medal to say ‘thank you’,” Aruna said at the Games Village mixed zone in Tokyo.
“If I’m to say the truth the Sports Minister has done very well. I have played at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Africa Games. During his time, no Minister in the past has done what he’s doing. I feel disappointed,” he noted.
It was the end of the road for Aruna after he fell 4-2 (15-13, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11) to Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi in the third-round tie.
Meanwhile, Assar continued his good run with a close 4-3 (11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7) win over Chinese Taipei’s veteran Chih Yuan Chuang in the round of 16 ties of the men’s singles.