by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Notably they are the respective defending champions, having emerged successful in the January 2015 when the tournament was staged in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo.
The ranking for many continental federations is extracted directly from the World Rankings; it is different for the African Table Tennis Federation.
A series of tournaments is taken into consideration; each with a weighting. The tournaments which form the criteria comprise three tournament held in 2015.
They are the ITTF-Africa Senior Championships, the Africa Senior Cup and the African Games. Added to the list is the 2016 Africa Top 16 and any zonal tournaments plus the current World rankings.
On the October 2016 African Rankings, Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna is next in line to Omar Assar with the next four places all being filled by Egyptian players.
El-Sayed Lashin is in third spot, pursued by Mohamed El-Beaili, Ahmed Ali Saleh and Khalid Assar. Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu and Nigeria’s seven times Olympian, Segun Toriola, complete the top eight names.
“I think Egypt is capable of dominating this year. Of course, there are fierce competitors such as the Nigerian team and the Congolese side. I hope we can win the teams, doubles, mixed doubles and singles titles and I think we are capable of doing it again just like we did in 2015.”
Meanwhile second on the Women’s list is Nadeen El-Dawlatly, also from Egypt but she will not be competing in the 2016 ITTF-Africa Senior Championships owing recent knee surgery. Notably in the Women’s Doubles event Dina Meshref will partners Yousra Helmy
“I hope we win the team event and also I wish we could win the doubles event as I will be playing with my cousin, Yousra Helmy, we will be playing doubles for the first time together in an African Senior event, and I also wish Omar Assar and I can win the Mixed Doubles event. I also hope I can retain my title in the women’s singles”, Dina Meshref
Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing is next in line followed by the Nigerian pairing of Offiong Edem and Olufunke Oshonaike. Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou is in sixth spot with Egypt’s Yousra Helmy and Farah Abdel-Aziz completing the elite names.
ITTF-Africa Table Tennis Federation: October 2016 – Men’s Ranking List
ITTF-Africa Table Tennis Federation: October 2016 – Women’s Ranking List