Nigerian table tennis player Offiong Edem is rallying her teammates ahead of their participation in the 2024 Olympic Games set to begin on July 26 in Paris, France.
Edem, alongside Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo, and Fatima Bello, will represent Nigeria in the event scheduled from July 27 to August 10 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, with 172 table tennis players in total.
At 37 years old, Edem, the team’s eldest member, expressed her support for her teammates on Instagram, emphasizing the importance of delivering strong performances in Paris after their diligent preparation and sacrifices.
“The excitement of reaching the Olympic Games is still fresh, but our focus is already on the next step. I wish you all success in Paris! We’ve put in the work, made the sacrifices, and now it’s time to deliver. Let’s do this, team,”
Edem stated. She secured her fourth Olympic berth at the African Olympic qualifying event in Kigali, having previously competed in the 2004, 2012, 2016, and 2020 editions of the Games.
Aruna, ranked 19th in the world and Nigeria’s highest-ranked player in the men’s singles, enters the Games with confidence, marking his fourth Olympic appearance after competing in 2012, 2016 (where he reached the quarterfinals), and 2020.
“Immediately after we finished in Tokyo, the preparation had already started. I’ve played in several international tournaments in different places. I can say that I am well prepared,” Aruna told Sportsville.
He added, “The goals are the same; you know, everyone wants to do well and everyone wants to win a medal, but sometimes it is not all about winning a medal. It’s about giving your best.
“Don’t forget 2016 in Rio; I was very close to winning a medal. I got to the quarterfinals, but four years later, it was not the same performance, but it is what it is. Nothing is really for sure, but this time around, I strongly believe that I will do my best.
“Against the Chinese, it’s like 60–40, and against other Asians, I can tell you that is 50–50. I have won against some Chinese players and am just yet to win against world No. 1 and world No. 2. My objective is to do much more than I did in Tokyo and get something better than I did in Rio.”
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Omotayo spoke with the same level of confidence as he makes his second appearance at the Games, featuring in the men’s singles event.
He said, “My second appearance at the Olympics means a lot to me.
“It is not easy to qualify from Africa. We have so many good players in Africa now, and I was able to qualify. Looking at the ranking system, it affected me about a year ago. My ranking dropped significantly, and I wasn’t sure if I would be part of the second pick for Team Nigeria. But thankfully, I reclaimed my spot and qualified for the Rwanda qualifications. This opportunity means a lot to me.”
Bello, who will be competing in the women’s singles alongside Edem, secured her maiden ticket to the Games at the African Olympic qualifying event in Kigali, where she defeated Algeria’s Lynda Loughrabi 4-2 in the women’s final.
The table tennis tournaments have equal distribution between men and women, who will compete across five medal events (two per gender and a mixed), the exact same amount as those in the previous editions.