Table Tennis team out to turn the tables in African Games

Gilbert Kiprotich in Rabat

The Kenyan Table Tennis team is out to end country’s poor run in the international competitions at this year’s African Games that kicks begins today in Rabat, Morocco.

Kenya will be represented by a team of 10 players, five in each category (men and women) in the three categories; singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

With the official opening ceremony scheduled for today, Table Tennis begins tomorrow at the Moulay Al Hassan Arena in Rabat.

The Kenyan team travelled in batches with some of the squad members including head coach Fahd Dim currently en route to Morocco with the rest of the squad set to join them in Rabat later on today.

Kenya’s star has been dim as far as the sport is concerned especially in international championships and Dim is confident this time round they’ll make a statement at the biggest stage.

“We have been training for the past four months and the players have been doing well and we are ready to do better than what we achieved in Congo four years ago and bring medals home,” said Dim.

Dim is however wary of the tough competition that awaits them from the continent’s top guns.

“Nigeria and Egypt are currently the best teams in Africa but we are hopeful that we are going to land a favourable draw that can enable us proceed past the last four,” observed Dim.

Although some of the sports have already begun including the beach volleyball, the games will be opened officially today at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium by King Mohammed VI.

A total of 37 countries are expected to compete in 26 different disciplines.

Kenya has entered teams in 22 disciplines with some of the teams that have already departed consisting of judo, beach volleyball, chess, swimming and boxing.