Aruna Quadri, winner of the Male Table Tennis Star of the International Table Tennis Federation Awards, on Friday said that the recognition placed much responsibility on him to further improve his game.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ITTF-Star Awards took place on January 7 in Dubai.
Quadri told NAN via telephone from his base in Portugal that the awards put enormous pressure on him to work harder.
NAN reports that Quadri also emerged the winner in the Star Point category of the awards.
He said: “The awards are like a challenge to me because, from what I have noticed, more pressure will be on me.
“I pray for courage and grace to be able to respond to this pressure.
“I hope God assists me.
“I will have to add two hours to my daily practice.
“Now I practise for six hours and undergo physical fitness exercise twice in a week.”
Quadri said that he was the happiest player on the awards night, in view of the record of achievements of other nominees in the categories.
He said: “It was really great and exciting winning the awards.
“I was the happiest player in that building.
“The mission seemed impossible as I was in competition with established superstars.
“Impossibility turned to possibility through my miraculous God.
“God is great.
“We all deserved it but I was just the luckiest one.”
Quadri urged other African players to believe in themselves and develop self-confidence and self-determination in whatever they do.
He said: “They have to build more self-confidence and self-determination.
“I urge them to work harder because hard work really accounted for my successes in 2014.”
Quadri appealed to corporate organisations to sponsor other sports besides football.
“Corporate bodies and companies should, please, give priority to other sports,” he said.
The table tennis star also thanked the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Enitan Oshodi, and his fans for their contributions to his success.
He said: “I want to commend our federation president, Nigerians and all my fans worldwide who voted for me in both categories of the awards.
“I say thanks to all of them.”
Quadri expressed the hope that table tennis in Nigeria would excel this year.
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