17 Aug 2021
Amman: Qatar continues to rise and climb the ladder in Table-Tennis with an impressive performance at the recent Arab Table Tennis Championships held in Amman, Jordan from 10-16 August 2021. Aspire Academy graduates and student-athletes were part of the victorious Qatar team that finished the Championships in 2nd place with 19 medals, including 4 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze medals.
Aspire graduates, Ahmed Khalil Al Muhannadi and Mohammed Abdul Wahab claimed gold in the men's doubles champions after defeating their Bahraini counterparts in straight sets (15-13, 11-6, 11-3). On the last day of competition on Monday 16 August, student-athletes Sultan Al Kuwari and Ahmed Eid played valiantly against Tunisian opponents but had to settle for silver. There yet another silver medal for Ahmed Jabbar and Abdullah Abdel Wahab in the U-19 doubles while Khaled Al-Yafei and Ruwad Al-Nasser finished with a bronze in the U-15 boys’ category. Prior to going to Amman for the championship, Aspire Academy Table-Tennis head coach, Peter Karlsson spoke of the strides the Qatari table-tennis players have made and how tournaments like the Arab Championships help assess their progress. For Qatar to finish in 2nd place on medals table ahead of established Arab countries in the sport speaks volumes of the strides Qatari table tennis players have made and Aspire Academy continues to be the bedrock of this development.
Some of the Aspire Academy graduates and student athletes will remain in Jordan to compete in the club competitions which will run from 17-23 August with Al Sadd SC and Qatar SC representing Qatar in the men’s competitions, and Qatar Women club in the ladies’ completions. That could well spell more for Qatar from the contribution made by Aspire Academy graduates and student-athletes.