by Olalekan Okusan, ITTF-Africa Press Officer
In 2011 in Lagos she won the Africa Cup, on the next occasion when the tournament was held in 2013 in Oyo, competing on home soil, Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing struck gold. However, the following year, once again in Lagos, Dina Meshref regained the title, ever since that date she has defended successfully.
Thus she has won five Africa Cup titles in a row, six in total. Furthermore, at the African Senior Championships, she won in Cairo in 2015 and last year in Port Louis.
Always positive in her thinking, the Egyptian star believes she has the quality to make it to the last 16 in the women’s singles event in Budapest; equally she is just as enthusiastic about partnering colleague, Omar Assar, in the mixed doubles.
Currently, the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation is making plans to stage a training camp in Germany as part of their build up to the biggest table tennis tournament this year.
“We are planning to have a national team training camp in Germany before the World Championships; personally I will also be doing some physical exercises. We will be participating in the Oman Challenge Plus tournament, so I think this will help us prepare for the World Championships.” Dina Meshref
Detailed preparation, Dina Meshref is optimistic about her chances in Budapest, equally she is realistic.
“I hope I can reach the round of 16 in the women’s singles. I believe getting to the last 16 in singles and reaching quarter-finals or maybe winning a medal in mixed doubles are possible for me in Hungary. However, the level of the African players is still not as high as those who make it to the top four in the World Championships.” Dina Meshref
The last 16, it would be a major achievement, most certainly Dina Meshref is giving herself the best possible chance to achieve that goal.
Editor’s note: a place on the women’s singles podium for an Egyptian player at a World Championships, it has been achieved but a long time ago. In Cairo in 1939 Samiha Naili reached the women’s singles semi-finals. She was beaten by Czechoslovakia’s Vlasta Depetrisova (22-20, 21-12, 21-19), the eventual champion.
Now 80 years later, over to you Dina Meshref!
