Nigeria’s budding table tennis prospect Junior Aruna continued his impressive rise on the international stage, clinching a silver medal at the WTT Youth Contender Series in Metz, France, on Wednesday.

The young talent, son of Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna, has quickly built a reputation as one of the sport’s most promising youngsters, adding the latest medal to an already growing collection.

His performance in France comes just days after a successful outing in Luxembourg, where he secured both silver and bronze medals under the guidance of his mother and coach, Ganiat Aruna.

Competing in both the boys’ U-11 and U-13 categories in Metz, Junior showed flashes of brilliance despite facing older opponents. While he fell short of progressing in the U-13 event, he delivered a standout performance in the U-11 division.

His journey to the podium began with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Brazil’s Rafael Suguimoto, before taking on French players Lyazid Idrissi and Nolan Lhuissier. In a closely contested encounter, Junior narrowly lost 2-3 to Idrissi, a result that denied him the gold medal. However, he bounced back strongly, defeating Lhuissier 3-0 to secure silver.

Reflecting on the outing, Ganiat described the experience as a valuable learning curve for her children.

“It was painful that he narrowly lost the gold medal, but it was a good experience competing against some of the best young players in the world,” she said.

She noted that the decision to expose Junior and his sister to international competitions is part of a long-term development plan.

“We want them to gain the experience they need for the future. It has not been easy combining coaching with caring for them during the trip, but I am proud of their progress and hopeful they can achieve more than we did,” she added.

Junior’s sister, Mariam Aruna, also showed promise at the tournament. The 13-year-old reached the top 32 in the girls’ U-15 category but did not advance to the main draw in the U-17 event.

With consistent podium finishes across European competitions, Junior Aruna is steadily carving out his own identity in the sport, following in the footsteps of his illustrious father while signaling a bright future for Nigerian table tennis.

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Top seeds lived up to expectations as they cruised into the knockout stage of the 6th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial Table Tennis Tournament taking place in the historic town of Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.

Over 200 players drawn from across the country are battling for honours in the national championship, which offers a total prize pool of ₦5 million and continues to grow in stature as one of Nigeria’s leading table tennis events.

The competition has transformed Otan Ayegbaju into a lively centre of sporting activity, with dignitaries, athletes, and enthusiasts converging on the town for the week-long tournament.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Osun State Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, urged participants to blend discipline with their talent while representing their states with pride. He also commended sponsor Ayodeji Alabi for sustaining the competition and encouraged other well-meaning Nigerians to invest in sports development as a means of addressing youth restiveness.

“Success is not only about being great athletes but also about character. Avoid doping and substances that can harm your future,” Adewusi cautioned.

On the table, defending men’s singles champion and top seed Abdulbasit Abdulfatai of Kwara fought hard to secure his place in the round of 16 after a challenging encounter. In the women’s category, top seed Hope Udoaka maintained her fine form to progress comfortably.

This year’s edition features 14 events, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and veterans’ categories, with competitions spanning U-15, men’s, and women’s divisions. The increase in prize money from ₦3.5 million to ₦5 million highlights the tournament’s rising profile.

Tournament referee John Peters praised the organisers and sponsor for providing a conducive environment for players and officials.

“The friendly atmosphere here allows players to relax after matches and build friendships, which ultimately improves their performance,” Peters noted.

The tournament is organised by the Osun State Table Tennis Association under the auspices of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, with support from the Michael and Felicia Alabi Foundation. Matches are being held at the newly constructed Idera Multi-Purpose Hall in Otan Ayegbaju.

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Nigerian table tennis prodigy, Junior Aruna, has announced his arrival on the international stage with an impressive two-medal haul at the 2026 WTT Youth Contender in Luxembourg.

The 10-year-old sensation, son of African table tennis icon Quadri Aruna, delivered a remarkable performance that underlines his growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s brightest young talents.

Competing in the boys’ U-13 singles on April 9, Junior Aruna displayed resilience and fighting spirit to secure a bronze medal. His campaign began on a difficult note with a 3-0 defeat to Italy’s Mattia Somaini, but the youngster responded in style, edging Lorenzo Armani 3-2 before overpowering Aaron Xia 3-0 to advance from the group stage.

He maintained his momentum in the knockout rounds, sweeping Poland’s Antoni Zajac 3-0 in the round of 16 and defeating Bulgaria’s Dan Zhelyazkov 3-1 in the quarterfinals. His impressive run, however, came to an end in the semifinals against France’s Sacha Douaran, settling for a well-earned bronze.

Undeterred, Aruna returned stronger in the U-11 category on April 11, where he went a step further to claim silver. After progressing from the group stage, he produced one of the standout performances of the tournament, defeating Luxembourg’s Noah Wolter 3-2 in a tense semifinal clash to book a place in the final.

In the final, he faced Bulgaria’s Zhelyazkov once again in a closely contested encounter. Aruna pushed his opponent to the limit, narrowly losing the opening game 15-13 before going down 11-8, 11-8 in the next two sets to settle for second place.

Guided by his mother and coach, Ganiat, Junior Aruna’s performance in Luxembourg highlighted not only his technical ability but also his composure and determination under pressure.

His two-medal outing—bronze in the U-13 and silver in the U-11—marks a significant milestone in his budding career and signals the emergence of a new generation in Nigerian table tennis.

With his fearless style and strong pedigree, Junior Aruna’s breakthrough performance is widely seen as the beginning of a promising journey, as he looks set to follow—and perhaps redefine—the legacy established by his father on the global stage.

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