Joe Apu
Africa and Nigeria’s best ranked table tennis player, Aruna Quadri has set his sights on going beyond the quarter-final stage he achieved at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ahead of the next Games billed for Tokyo 2020.
Quadri, who recently moved to the German Bundesliga with TTC RhönSprudel Maberzell Fulda told the Voice of America (VOA) that he is hopeful of making a better impact at the next Olympic Games.
In ensuring that he makes his dream a reality, the 32-year old explained that he had to leave the Portuguese league where he had played in for 10 years so as to get the needed competitive games that would help him achieve his goals.
“I played in the Portugal for 10 years and winning everything with my club and reaching the semi-finals twice in the European Cup. Portugal is my second home and I will miss my friends, teammates and lots more but having recorded these achievements, I felt it was time for me to move on.
“The need for new heights to be reached inspired my desire to move over to Germany because I need more competition in a stronger league that would further toughen me and prepare me for the Olympics.”
Quadri, who holds the record of the first African to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic event admits that playing in the German Bundesliga would be tougher and more difficult but believes he would give his best to help his new team.