Accra2023: Assar/Goda win table tennis singles

By Rihana Adam, GNA 

Accra, March 06, GNA – Egypt’s Omar Assar and Hana Goda emerged victors in the Men’s and Women’s Singles final in the on-going 13th African Games at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). 

Assar maintained the tittle he won in 2019 after defeating arch-rival Qadri Aruna from Nigeria in a thrilled final 4-3 to win his second gold medal in the continent’s sports festival.  

In the women’s singles division, 16-year-old, Hana Goda who made a debut defeated her compatriot Dina Meshref the defending champion 4-2 to win the title. 

Goda’s global fame came when she was 11, as she became the first African to be ranked No. 1 in the world in the U-15 cadet category when she was 12 years. 

In 2023, she became the youngest to win the African Senior champion at age 15 and she is Paris-bound with team Egypt for the Olympic Games this year. 

She said, “I can’t believe I have added the African Games tittle to my laurels, but I must admit that it was not easy especially with the sixth game I won.” 

“I was a bit nervous towards the end match. This is the best moment of my career, and I cannot just imagine myself winning in my first outing. This is a great moment for me,” she said. 

GNA