Quadri Aruna’s Son Shines with Two Medals at WTT Youth Contender

Quadri Aruna’s Son Shines with Two Medals at WTT Youth Contender

By BSN Sports 

Emerging Nigerian table tennis talent Junior Aruna has announced himself on the international stage with an impressive two-medal performance at the 2026 WTT Youth Contender in Luxembourg, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The 10-year-old, son of African table tennis icon Quadri Aruna, delivered a standout display across multiple age categories, signaling the rise of a new generation in Nigerian table tennis. Coached by his mother, Ganiat Aruna, the young athlete demonstrated composure and resilience beyond his years.

Junior Aruna secured a bronze medal in the boys’ U-13 singles event on April 9 after a strong comeback in the group stage. Following an opening 3-0 defeat to Italy’s Mattia Somaini, he responded with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Lorenzo Armani and a convincing 3-0 win against Aaron Xia to advance.

He continued his momentum in the knockout rounds, defeating Poland’s Antoni Zajac 3-0 in the round of 16 before overcoming Bulgaria’s Dan Zhelyazkov 3-1 in the quarterfinals. His run ended in the semifinals against France’s Sacha Douaran, earning him a well-deserved bronze medal.

In the U-11 category on April 11, the Nigerian prodigy went a step further, reaching the final after progressing through the group stage. In a closely contested semifinal, he edged Luxembourg’s Noah Wolter 3-2 to book his place in the title match.

Facing Zhelyazkov once again in the final, Aruna battled fiercely but fell short, losing 15-13, 11-8, 11-8 to claim the silver medal.

With a bronze in the U-13 category and silver in U-11, Junior Aruna’s breakthrough performance in Luxembourg highlights his growing potential and marks an encouraging step in what could become a distinguished career.