Egyptians Goda, Assar rack up historic straight titles in ITTF-Africa Cup

Egyptians Hana Goda and Omar Assar are the 2023 ITTF-Africa Cup women’s and men’s champions following brilliant displays at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani indoor stadium.

Despite back injury scares, Assar defeated Nigerian Quadri Aruna 4-1 in the best of seven men’s singles final.

“This is the hardest ITTF Africa I have ever played. I was very close to quitting when I arrived in Nairobi with an injury, but thanks to the Kenya medical team for their efforts, as this would not have been possible. I feel for Aruna, he is a great player,” Assar said.

Aruna on his part said, “I should have been more patient with the game. But I think I did my best but it is one of those days. Things were not really working for me. It is a game of chance and you have to charge from the beginning.”

In winning the Nairobi edition, Assar chucked up his 10th career ITTF Africa title having won the 2018 edition in Nairobi with zest and vigor.

The men’s final nevertheless failed to live up to its expectations as the Nigerian failed to unleash his forehand antics.

In the women’s final, Goda staged a stunning comeback to defend the women's singles title with a convincing 4-3 victory over Olympian and multiple winner Dina Meshref.

Accompanied by her mum and cheered on by Kenyan fans, Hana dismissed compatriot Dina in a pulsating final which treated Kasarani crowd to some exhilarating displays.

In the process, the Germany-based Egyptian teenager entered her name in the annals of table tennis history as the youngest ever player to defend a senior Africa continental title at the age of 15.

"I am lost for words, I mean I just do not know how to describe the win. It has not sunk in yet," an emotional Hana quipped of her fairy tale feat.

Hana’s win against Meshref was a repeat of last year’s final in Lagos where she bamboozled her senior to become the youngest continental winner ever at the age of 14.

The teenage star, on her very first tour to Kenya, confirmed his status as one of the junior table tennis greats with back-to-back ITTF-Africa Cup women's singles titles.

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Hana is ranked fourth in the world among juniors and 39th overall in the ITTF ranking.

In the process, she becomes the most decorated junior table tennis in African history and the first teenage athlete to win the continental event multiple times at the fabled table tennis championship.

And having already taken some impressive scalps, Hana’s growing list of accolades in Africa include beating some of the most decorated players among them multiple Nigerian Olympian Funke Oshonaike.

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In the women’s semis Dina vanquished compatriot Marwa Alhodaby 4 -1 whilst Sarah Hanffou of Cameroon lost 1-4 to Hana.

But Nairobi’s showpiece was quite an emotional one for Sarah as she marked her last year of play.

The France-based Cameroonian international announced her retirement at a presser in Nairobi. She is hanging up her bats to focus on her Ping Sans Frontieres project which develops table tennis as an educational and educative tool worldwide.