Quadri targets Commonwealth Games medals

Portugal-based Aruna Quadri believes with more support, Nigeria stands a chance of clinching medals in table tennis at forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Quadri, who defied all odds to make the last 16 at the International Table Tennis Federation-sanctioned World Tour, tagged Spanish Open, said the attention given to football is really affecting the fortune of other sports, particularly table tennis.
He said: “We really need support and motivation as we are hoping that things must change in our country’s sports because priority is just being accorded to football.
“For us in table tennis, things are not going well because we are not giving enough support to the sport and this is putting us in a difficult situation all the time.
“Most times, we spend our personal money to attend competitions in order to be well prepared the Commonwealth Games.
“We really appreciate the financial support the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Wahid Oshodi, has been giving to us since January.”
Unlike their foreign counterparts, who have been getting grants from their sports ministry to attend tournaments in order to be in top form for the games, the same is not the situation in Nigeria.
Quadri, however, pleaded with the National Sports Commission to consider supporting the players with grant to attend competitions.
He said: “I wish to take part in more pro tours before Commonwealth Games but I need support and motivation.
“I have spent a lot on myself and I am in need of financial support to keep playing tournaments regularly so as to be in good shape for Glasgow Games.”
He expressed optimism that Team Nigeria has the wherewithal to be among the medal winning teams in Scotland.
He said: “We stand a chance of winning medal in Scotland because at the Spanish Opens, we had five English players and five Indian players with one English and two Indians making it to the last 64.
“But as Nigerians, we were only two that took part in the competition and only one of us made it to the main draw (round of 64).
“England and India are not better than us at present, but because they are playing tournaments regularly to keep improving.
“We also need support to be playing tournaments regularly and with that, we can be doing so much better than before.”