Madagascar: TABLE TENNIS – AFRICAN GAMES

The Malagasy pair, Fabio Rakotoarimanana-Karen Raharimanana, won the bronze medal in the doubles event on Saturday night at the African Games in Accra.

Impressive progress. After failing in the singles event and team event, and like karate and chess, the table tennis players from the Great Island also won the bronze medal in the mixed doubles on Saturday night at the 13th African Games in Accra. The team formed by the two expatriates from France, Fabio Rakotoarimanana and Hanitra Karen Raharimanana, reached the semifinals. The Malagasy duo was defeated at the doorstep of the final by the Algerian pair, Stéphane Ouaiche and Lucie Mobarek, 0-3 (6/11 5/11 9/11). The latter had already eliminated Fabio and Karen in the singles event.

In the quarterfinals, the champions of East Africa narrowly defeated the Nigerians, Taiwo Mati and Fatimo Bello, 3-2 (11/6 4/11 12/10 6/11 14/12). In their first three matches, Fabio and Karen narrowly defeated the Algerian team composed of Mehdi Bouloussa and Malissa Nasri, 3-2 (11/8 9/11 11/7 8/11 11/6), after eliminating the Congolese, Brijack Tando and Ruth Elenghat, 3-0 (11/9 11/5 11/1), and the Ethiopians Eyob Sissay Abeje and Meron Mekuria, 3-0 (11/7 11/7 11/6). The other two Malagasy teams were all eliminated in the round of 32.

At the foot of the podium

Mamy Riva Rakotoarisoa and Fitia Mahenika Andriamanantena lost 2-3 to the Tunisians, Khalil Sta and Fadwa Garci (12/10 4/11 5/11 11/5 6/11 6/11), after their narrow victory in the Round 64 against the South Africans, Liam Beukes and Rochica Sonday, 3-2 (11/5 5/11 11/9 6/11 14/12). The duo Setra Rakotoarisoa-Ranto Océane Rakotondrazaka, on the other hand, lost to the Algerian team composed of Milhane Jellouli and Amina Kessaci, 1-3 (5/11 6/11 11/9 9/11).

In the women’s doubles event, Karen Raharimanana and Océane Rakotondrazaka were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Tunisians, Fadwa Garci and Abir Haj Salah, 0-3, after their 3-0 victory against the Ghanaians, Joanita Berteye and Baah-Danso Celia. In the men’s category, Fabio and Setra were eliminated by the Algerians Mehdi Bouloussa and Stéphane Ouaiche in the round of 16, 0-3, after their success against the Ethiopians Eyob Sissay and Darara Dufera.

1. Egypt: 26 gold, 9 silver, 8 bronze (43)
2. Algeria: 6 gold, 12 silver, 12 bronze (30)
3. South Africa: 5 gold, 2 silver, 7 bronze (14)
4. Morocco: 2 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze (12)
5. Tunisia: 2 gold, 4 silver, 7 bronze (13)
6. Ghana: 1 gold, 2 silver, 0 bronze (3)
7. Mauritius: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze (3)
8. Nigeria: 0 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze (6)
9. Senegal: 0 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze (5)
10. Madagascar: 0 gold, 1 silver, 6 bronze (7)

Serge Rasanda