As the official draw for the table tennis competitions of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games takes place this Wednesday Nigeria’s trio of Olajide Omotayo, Offiong Edem, and Fatimo Bello will know their first-round opponents when the event kicks off on July 27 at South Paris Arena.

A total of 172 players, (86 in men’s and 86 in women’s category), will compete across five medal events (two per gender and a mixed) at the Paris Olympic Games, while Omotayo who will be making his second appearance at the games will start his campaign from the Preliminary Rounds of the Men’s Singles.

Like Omotayo, Edem who is making her fifth Olympic Games appearance as well as debutant Bello will also start their participation in the Preliminary Rounds of the Men’s Singles.

As one of the top 16 seeds, Quadri Aruna will commence his fifth Olympic Games campaign from Round of 64 which will commence on July 28.

Aruna, whose best outing at the Olympic Games was at Rio 2016 in Brazil where he defied odds to reach the quarterfinal of the Men’s Singles as the first African to attain the height.

However, Egypt’s Omar Assar equalled Aruna’s quarterfinal feat at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 when the 2023 African Games champion worked his way into the last eight of the Men’s Singles in Japan.

Apart from Aruna and Assar who are among the top 16 seeds, other Africans like Egypt’s trio of Dina Meshref, Hana Goda, and Mohamed El-Beiali as well as Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw, Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou, Algeria’s duo of Mehdi Bouloussa and Lyna Loghraibi including history-making 21-year-old Fabio Rakotoarimanana of Madagascar will all begin their quest from the Preliminary Rounds of the Men’s and Women’s Singles on July 27.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Chinese legend Ma Long, who is considered the undisputed king of table tennis, prepares for what could be his final Olympic hurrah in Paris.

With five Olympic gold medals, the most of any player, Ma Long’s legacy is already cemented. 

His journey to the top began in 2012 when he secured his first Olympic gold as part of China’s dominant Men’s Team. Four years later, in Rio 2016, Ma Long’s legend truly ignited. He displayed a mastery of the racket, showcasing both offensive prowess and tactical brilliance as he clinched his first Men’s Singles gold medal. This victory cemented his place as a top contender and a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. 

Tokyo 2020 wasn’t just another year for Ma Long. He defied expectations and accomplished the unthinkable – defending his Men’s Singles title. This historic feat had never been achieved before, solidifying him as an Olympic legend. Ma Long also secured a team gold, adding another chapter to his already impressive Olympic resumé. His haul of five Olympic gold medals, combined with three singles world titles and the record for the longest reign at number one in the world rankings, leaves no doubt that Ma Long is the undisputed greatest table tennis player in history. Now, in Paris, Ma Long sets his sights on potentially adding another team gold to his collection.