Egyptian teenage star Hana Goda is one of the players to watch in next week's ITTF Africa Cup in Nairobi.
The 14-year-old Goda has already vanquished the most recognisable names in African women’s table tennis including seven-time Olympian Olufunke Oshonaike of Nigeria and six-time African senior champion Dina Meshref of Egypt.
Having already taken some impressive scalps, the Egyptian prodigy will be looking to replicate her giant-slaying antics in her Nairobi debut after topping the African field in Lagos last year.
In Lagos, Goda became the youngest ever Continental Cup winner when she clinched gold at the 2022 ITTF Africa Cup, the second-most-important continental event in table tennis, behind only the African Senior Championships.
She’ll be turning 15 in December and she is among the African elite players expected for the women’s singles in the Niarobi show alongside Meshref.
Also expected in the star-studded women's singles mix is last year’s finalist Bello Fatimo of Nigeria. Last year, Hana defeated Meshref in a pulsating 4-3 match before thrashing surprise finalist Nigerian Bello 4-0 in straight games to secure the coveted ITTF Africa Cup title.
Next week’s event is dubbed “Africa Festival of Table Tennis” and will take place at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani indoor gymnasium in Nairobi.
Among those expected to grace the men’s singles include Omar Assar (Egypt), Quadri Aruna (Nigeria) and Ahmed Saleh (Egypt).
The prestigious two-championship extravaganza will serve off with the Africa Club Championship from May 1-3 before paving the way for the ITTF Africa Cup from May 4-3.
The Africa Cup will double up as World Cup qualifiers for elite continental players who are returning to Nairobi for the umpteenth time. Bouloussa Mehdi of Algeria is also among the top-ranked men’s players expected in Nairobi.
