Nigeria's Quadri Aruna plays a shot during the men's singles semi-final table tennis match against India's Sharath Achanta at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Oxenford Studios venue in Gold Coast on April 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / YE AUNG THU
Despite failing to win the gold medal battle against Singapore’s Gao Ning, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri has described his silver medal as a just reward for his efforts at the just concluded Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Australia.
Having come from 2-0 down against the experienced Singaporean, Quadri succumbed to the two–time silver medalist with a 4-2 loss to settle for silver medal in the men’s singles. The silver medal is his best outing at the games.
At the 2014 edition in Glasgow, Scotland, the same Gao Ning edged out Quadri in the round of 16 but this year in Australia, the Nigerian seeded number one gave a good account of himself on his way to the final.
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The final being the last match in the table tennis event of the games brought out the best in the two players with Quadri making excessive use of his powerful shot, but the skillful play by the Asian star saw him through the explosive encounter.
A satisfied Quadri said: “Not the result that I wanted but I am still very satisfied with my performance and silver is better than bronze.
I want to say thanks to the best club in the world – Sporting Clube de Portugal for giving me the opportunity to represent my country here in Australia.
And to all the people cheering and supporting me, I want to say you are all well appreciated. To my prayer warriors, I am saying thanks for the unlimited support.
And to my beautiful wife, @tejuluv thanks for the great role you played for making me not to lose hope of coming to Australia during sickness. It’s time to return to Portugal and face the next challenge in Portuguese league semi-final.”
With the silver medal, Quadri remains the second best player from Nigeria to play in the final of the men’s singles as he failed to equal the feat of his compatriot – Segun Toriola, who won the men’s singles title at Manchester 2002 in England.
Source: G Sport
