Paris 2024 Olympics: Early Exits for Nigerian Table Tennis stars Omotayo and Aruna

By Samuel Ahmadu in France

Nigerian table tennis fans faced disappointment as both Olajide Omotayo and Aruna Quadri suffered early exits in the men’s singles competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Olajide Omotayo encountered Iran’s Nima Alamiyan in the Round of 64. Despite a strong start, winning the opening set 11-6, Omotayo could not maintain his momentum. Alamiyan dominated the following sets, securing a 4-1 victory with scores of 5-11, 4-11, 10-12, and 8-11.

“It’s a tough loss to swallow,” Omotayo admitted. “I gave my best, but today wasn’t my day. I’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”

Aruna Quadri, the more experienced of the two, faced Romania’s Ovidiu Ionescu in the second round. Quadri started off strong, winning the first three sets 11-8, 11-9, and 11-6. However, Ionescu mounted a remarkable comeback, winning the next four sets 8-11, 10-12, 9-11, and 11-13, to clinch a dramatic 4-3 victory.

The final set was intense, with both players pushing their limits, but Ionescu emerged victorious. Aruna expressed his frustration after the match, stating, “It’s heart-wrenching to lose like this, especially after leading. I gave everything I had, but Ionescu was relentless.”

The early exits of Omotayo and Aruna are a significant blow to Nigeria’s table tennis aspirations at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Expectations were high, especially given Aruna’s impressive track record on the international stage. This outcome highlights the unpredictable and highly competitive nature of Olympic table tennis.

Despite their losses, both players remain optimistic about the future. “This isn’t the end,” Aruna said. “We’ll analyze what went wrong and work harder for the next opportunity. The support from home has been incredible, and we won’t let this setback define us.”