By Simon Asare
Accra, June 1, GNA – Ghana’s number one table tennis seed, Derek Abrefa, has won a silver and bronze medal at the recently held London Grand Prix Table Tennis competition.
Abrefa, who has competed for Ghana at various international competitions, was at his best at the London Grand Prix as he won silver and bronze in Men’s Band 1 and the Restricted Men’s Singles, respectively.
This year’s Grand Prix saw over 200 players from Romania, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Scotland, Russia, India, and Nigeria partake in one of the biggest table tennis events in the United Kingdom.
Abrefa had an excellent start to the competition, topping his group as he progressed into the Round of 32.
The Ghanaian table tennis star manoeuvred his way through the Round of 16 to the semi-finals, where he defeated English player Adam Jepson 3-2 and made it to the finals.
He, however, lost in the finals to his Romanian opponent to secure a silver medal.
Speaking in an interview after his success in the competition, Abrefa expressed his appreciation to his work colleagues at the Ghana Immigration Service for their support and also to the President of the Ghana Table Tennis Association, Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu.
“It was a tough competition with all the top players from around the world, but I am happy with my performance. I want to also thank my coaches, Ebenezer Anang-Whyte, Raphael Munkoh, and Eric Hammond, for coaching him throughout the tournament,” he said.
Abrefa’s former national teammate, Emmanuel Asante, also won gold in the Band 3 event at the Grand Prix and delivered an impressive performance in the Band 2 event.
GNA