Nigeria Sports Award Winner Quadri Retains Portuguese Title, Signs New Joola Kits’ Deal

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri again added another crown to his retinue of laurels after leading G. D. Toledos to retain the Portuguese table tennis league for this season.

For his exceptional performance in recent times, Germany-based table tennis kits manufacturing company, Joola has signed a new two-year deal with the current African champion, which will expire in 2016.

Quadri, who has been in superlative form in recent time, inspired Toledos to a resounding victory over Sporting, which has his compatriot, Bode Abiodun.

Narrating what transpired on their way to winning the trophy, Quadri said: “We retained the Portuguese league trophy having also retained the Portuguese Cup in February.

On our way to final, we defeated CD Sao Roque of Madeira Island 3-0 both home and away before accounting for Sporting Lisbon over two-legs.

In the first leg, we narrowly escaped defeat away to Sporting.” Continuing, he said: “The doubles’ pair of Andre Silva and Diogo Silva defeated Sporting’ duo of Abiodun and Joao Seduvem in five tough sets, which ended 3 -2 in favour of my team.

Efforts to increase the lead by Diogo Silva against Diogo Chen, who is the strongest man of Sporting failed as the Chinese-born player won the encounter at 3-1 to level up the overall result.”

With his wealth of experience coupled with fantastic skills, Quadri won his matches to make his team’s victory certain.

The second leg also went their way, as Quadri became the hero of the match to salvage another 3-2 win for Toledos.

An excited Quadri said: “This season, we won all the three trophies at stake in Portugal and this includes the Portuguese Super Cup, Portuguese Cup and League Cup.

I lost just one match this season and won about 34 individual matches. It means that I won four titles this year including African Top 16 Cup.

“For me this is a good development especially as we are hoping for a good outing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland,” he added.

As for the Joola deal, the company would supply kits to Quadri as well support him to attend Pro Tours each year.

Quadri was named “Ball Sports Personality of the Year” at the Nigeria Sports Award held in Lagos on Tuesday 26th November 2013.

Aruna Quadri At The Nigeria Sports Awards 2013

Nigerian Sports Award winner Aruna Quadri, Leads Portuguese Table Tennis Club G. D. Toledos to retain Portuguese Cup title

Quadri is second from left

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri maintained a clean sheet when he led his club, G. D. Toledos table tennis club to retain the Portuguese Cup at the weekend.

The competition was competed for by the 16 teams in the Portuguese table tennis elite league took place in Azores Island of Pico in Portugal.

Without dropping a match against all their opponents, G. D. Toledoes, which had won the same tournament last season repeated same feat when it defeated Sporting Club in the final 3-0 to hold on to the title.
Quadri, who captained his team to retain the title, said their route to the final started when they battled G. D. Montargilense with a resounding 3-0 victory.

“It was another happy weekend in Azores Island of Pico after we defeated all our opponents to retain Portuguese Cup title. We won the title in an amazing manner after none of our opponent win a game against us. In short it was all 3-0 matches against all teams as we showed brilliant performance,” he said.

“In the first round of the tournament we defeated G. D. Montagilence 3-0. It was a familiar rival in second round, Juncal another tough team from Azores Island gave us a tougher challenge but we won in a three straight game to qualify for semifinal. We played Benfica in semifinal and we won in the same margin. And we played Sporting Lisbon in final and won in an amazing way also 3-0. The toughest challenge came from the main rival, Sporting but we played so much more better than them and we gave a brilliant performance,” Quadri said.

The All Africa Games bronze medalist added: “I started against Sporting Lisbon and I won in a surprising way. I won against Diogo Chen, a player that had played with four times now and I succeeded in all encounters. I had a lot of problem in last three meetings but at the weekend it was so much more better for me as I played from point to point and show no mercy.”

For Quadri, it was another dream come true. “It was another dream come through for me to win the Portugal Cup twice in a row and I give all thanks to almighty God for the perfect victory.

I feel so happy to do it again and my team will not relax at all until we win the league cup again. I personally will continue working harder,” he said.

Quadri and his compatriot, Kazeem Makanjuola will next week take part in the Qatar and Kuwait Opens.