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Tennis star, Quadri donates kits to paralympians

The beneficiaries said the gesture would motivate them to win laurels for the country.

• December 15, 2020
Aruna Quadri
Aruna Quadri (Credit: Sports That)

Nigeria’s No.1 table-tennis player, Quadri Aruna, on Tuesday donated kits and equipment worth 1400 Euros (N750,000) to two athletes preparing for the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics Games.

Aruna, a Rio Olympic Games quarterfinalist, gave Isau Ogunkunle and Faith Obazuaye the kits in support of their quest to make Nigeria proud at Tokyo Games.

NAN reports that the duo received branded Gewo equipment and kits including; three pairs of rubber, blade, bat cover, bag, shirts, shorts, tracksuit, shoe, socks, towel and cap.

Officials of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) presented the kits on behalf of the Oyo-born tennis star.

Aruna said that the gesture was a way to give back to the society, especially to the paralympians that had been making the country proud despite their challenges

In a short video remark sent from his base in Portugal, Aruna said: “Having experienced the same kind of support in my first Olympic Games in London 2012, I think it is very important to support the paralympians as well as those who have been doing the country proud for decades.

“I hope this support will motivate them and help them to do much better in Tokyo, Japan,’’ Aruna said.

Paralympian Ogunkunle said that the support would motivate him to give his best at the Tokyo Japan 2021.

“I am really excited and I never saw this coming at all, this will really impact and affect my play, may God Almighty bless Aruna for this gesture.

“These are state of the art kits and equipment, this act will really boost my morale to give it all what it takes in Tokyo/Japan,’’ he said.

Obazuaye, the second beneficiary, thanked Aruna and promised to win medals for the country.

Obazuaye, a silver medalist at 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, will be making her debut at the Paralympics Games in Tokyo, Japan

“I really appreciate Aruna and I promise to win gold medals for the country,’’ she said.

Anderson Bankole, NTTF Vice President, said Aruna’s gesture should be emulated by top players.

“I am personally impressed with the gesture of Aruna who is fond of thinking about others and I believe other top players should take a cue from this.” Bankole said.

Ogunkunle and Obazuaye are African para table tennis champions in class four and 10, respectively.

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