Paris 2024 Olympics – Table Tennis

Aruna kicks off medal pursuit against Romanian opponent at Paris 2024

Nigeria’s quest for medals in the table tennis competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will commence with Quadri Aruna facing Romania’s Eduard Ionescu in the first round of the men’s singles event on Saturday.

The draw, held at the South Paris Arena, has set up an intriguing matchup where Aruna aims to avenge his previous loss to Ionescu, who defeated him 2-3 in the semi-finals of the European Champions League.

Teammate Olajide Omotayo will also compete in the first round, taking on Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan on the same day.

In the women’s singles event, Offiong Edem will challenge Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi, while debutant Fatimo Bello faces French player Jia Nana Yuan, originally from China.

The table tennis events at the Paris Games will unfold from Saturday through to August 10 at the South Paris Arena, featuring five medal events including men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, and team competitions.

The women’s singles medal matches are scheduled for August 3, followed by the men’s singles on August 4. Mixed doubles medal matches will take place on Tuesday, with the men’s and women’s team events concluding the competition on August 9 and 10 respectively.

This marks a significant opportunity for Nigerian athletes to showcase their skills and compete for Olympic glory on the international stage.