This award means the World to Me ITTF Winner- Aruna Quadri

The 26-year old Nigerian - ranked 30 in the world after starting the year at 237- beat off competition from Portugal's Marcos Freitas and Chinese pair Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin to land the coveted prize.

Aruna's world ranking is the highest ever achieved by an African player.

"This is the best day of my career and my life," he said after receiving his award.

"I feel so great to be the winner in the midst of the world's superstars.

"This award means the world to me."

Image Aruna /Facebook

According to reports, Sports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo yesterday, received with joy the news of Nigeria’s table tennis star, Aruna Quadri ‘s award as the International Table Tennis Federation’s Star Player of the Year winner and has congratulated him for the honour.
The Oyo State-born player made the country proud by defeating other nominees, including world number one, China’s Xu Xin to win the prestigious award at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Star Awards which held in Dubai on Wednesday.

Image/Naija Sport center

 Dr. Danagogo said Quadri’s victory is a proof that talents abound in the country and that with proper monitoring and provision of standard facilities and support from both the public and private sectors, Nigerian athletes could match the best from any part of the world.
“I am particularly proud of his progress in the sport this past year during which he moved from a ranking of over 200 in the world to 30. He has shown consistency and resilience and today his hard work has placed him at the highest pedestal in the sport,” the minister said in a press statement from his Special Assistant on Media, Patrick Omorodion.

“As a government and the National Sports Commission, we will continue to provide the enabling environment for our athletes to be able to compete with the best in the world and excel. This is why we have been calling on the private sector and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the efforts of the government towards taking our sports to the next level,” he stressed.
He commended the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation ably led by hardworking Enitan Oshodi for its development programmes which has helped to revive the sport and position it for greater achievements as the country prepares for the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo later in the year.