By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-01-17 03:02:07
Africa’s table tennis powerhouses, Nigeria and Egypt, faced tough draws in the men and women’s events of the 2024 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) in Busan, South Korea. The draw for the WTTC Finals Busan 2024 was revealed at the Busan e-Sports Arena, marking a significant moment as Korea Republic hosts the event for the first time. The competition will take place from February 16 to 25, as competitors from around the world vie for the prestigious title. Nigeria’s men’s team has been placed in Group 5 alongside Japan, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, and Madagascar. In the women’s event, Nigeria has been drawn into Group 3 with Germany, Slovakia, Poland, and Mexico. The top eight teams from the tournament will earn automatic tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.
Egypt, the African champions, find themselves in Group 8 of the men’s event, where they will face Portugal, Romania, Iran, and Thailand. Their women’s team will also compete in Group 8 against France, Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Croatia. Algeria is in Group 4 for both the men’s and women’s events, and South Africa replaces Tunisia’s and Mauritius’ teams in Group 2 of the women’s event, where they will compete against Japan, Brazil, Luxembourg, and Iran. China, the defending champions, holds the top-seeded positions in both the men’s and women’s team events, with their women placed in Group 1 alongside Hungary, India, Spain, and Uzbekistan. Led by World No.1 Sun Yingsha, Team China is aiming for their 23rd title in the event.
Hungary, with a long history of success in the championships, faces a tough challenge in their group with the defending champions, China. The Chinese team is the favorite to top the podium once again, led by their strong lineup and track record of success. The competition is anticipated to be intense, with teams from across the globe vying for the title and the coveted spots at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
