Quadri Aruna, Nigerian table tennis player at the London Games

By Duro Ikhazuagbe

Quadri Aruna's 4-2 defeat by Bora Vang of Turkey has concluded Nigeria's poor run in the table tennis event of the London 2012.

Aruna was the only surviving player into the second round after Funke Oshinaike, Offiong Edem and Segun Toriola had crashed out in the preliminary and first rounds respectively.

After taking the two first sets 11-6, 12-6, Aruna capitulated to the superior firepower of the Turkish player who dragged the game to the rubber with two similar victories.

Vang equally took the two deciding sets 12-10, 12-10 to book his place in the third round.

Only last Saturday, Aruna had sent Nigerians here present celebrating his brilliance against Machado of Spain.

“I can’t believe it’s over for me,’’ he sulked. The failure of the quartet (two male and two female) has thus ended Nigeria’s expectation in the table tennis, a sport that Nigeria not only ruled Africa but the Commonwealth Games during the golden era of Atanda Musa and Olawunmi Majekodunmi.