Nigerian and international table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, has set a new African record as the first player from the continent to be ranked in top 15 in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ranking.

In the Week 37 ranking released on Tuesday by the world table tennis ruling body, Aruna moved four steps up the ranking ladder.

The Nigerian, who was runner up in the men’s singles of Cameroon 2021 ITTF African Championships, is rated 15 on the log and erased Egypt’s Omar Assar’s record of world number 16, set in January 2018.

Though Aruna lost to Assar 4-1 in the final of the tournament in Cameroon, he still gained ranking points which lifted him to 15, to join the elite club in the world.

In the doubles, Aruna’s partnership with Bode Abiodun, who won the men’s doubles in Cameroon, lifted them to 20th in the world.

On his part, Assar who emerged the men’s singles champion in Cameroon, gained eight steps up in the ranking at 28, while his compatriot, Ahmed Saleh moved to 47th in the world.

Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw moved 10 steps up to 59 while Olajide Omotayo of Nigeria rose to 87th in the world rating.

In the women’s ranking, bronze medalist in Cameroon and six-time African champion, Egypt’s Dina Meshref, held on to the top in the continent after rising to 35th in the ranking.

Meshref compatriot and teammate, Yours Helmy gained 16 steps to rise to 85th, while Nigeria’s Offiong Edem gained 12 steps to rise to 107.

Meanwhile, China’s duo of Fan Zhendong and Meng Cheng held on to the pinnacle of the ranking as the best rated players in the men and women rating in the world, respectively.