Para table tennis heavyweights in Africa-Nigeria and Egypt- will slug it out with seven other nations for spots at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in France as the 2023 African Para Table Tennis Championships kicked off yesterday at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Giza.
Apart from hosts – Egypt and Nigeria, the other participating countries are Algeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mauritius and Tunisia.
From the previous qualifiers coupled with performance from the last edition of the African championships, Egypt and Nigeria are the dominant teams in the continent with the likes of Algeria and South Africa sure to give them a run for their money.
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At the Paralympic Games, Egypt and Nigeria have also been representing Africa with both countries having a handful of medals to show for their participation at the Games.
As such, all eyes will be on stars like Isau Ogunkunle of Nigeria, Egyptian veteran Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh, Algeria’s Karim Boumedouha as well as South Africa’s Theo Cogill. Nigeria’s quest in the women’s division will be led by Commonwealth Games medallists – Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi and Faith Obazuaye.
Five-time African champion Saleh believes he is destined to make it to the sixth Paralympic Games but admitted that Nigeria’s Ogunkunle remains his only stumbling block in class four of the Men’s Singles.
“I hope that I can make it to the sixth Paralympic Games, but I know it is going to be difficult especially with the presence of Ogunkunle who is my arch-rival in the event. I hope that by God’s grace I triumph,” he told NationSport.
Winners from each class will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. However, such athletes are expected to attend some ranking tournaments to be certain of being listed for the Paralympic Games.