Maldives athlete Fathimath Dheema Ali has won the Opatija Open Junior Championship at the recent Junior Championship held in Zagreb, Croatia. In the senior category, Aishath Rafa Nazim secured the runner-up position.
The Maldivian table-tennis contingent is receiving training in Croatia to prepare for the Indian Ocean Island Games, scheduled for August in Madagascar.
Besides Dheema and Rafa, several other local table-tennis players competed in the Opatija Open Championship, with two male players advancing beyond the group stage.
Munsif Ahmed, the most successful table-tennis player from the Maldives, and the most recent National Champion Mohamed Shaffan Ismail, along with Akhyar Ahmed Khalid, advanced to the quarterfinals in their respective categories during the Opatija Open Championship. Zeek Hassan Latheef, who competed in the junior category, advanced to the second round of the championship.
Speaking about the achievements of local players, President of the Table Tennis Association of Maldives (TTAM) Ali Rasheed, highlighted the progress of the players through the training camps.
Meanwhile, the Maldives team, currently training in Croatia, is expected to fly to India next week for the South Asian Junior Championship.
Maldivian team’s Dheema, Akhyar, Thaabin Shujau, along with Miskha Mohamed Amir, who currently training in India, and Malaak Muizzu are expected to participate in the championship hosted in the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar.
In addition to these players, Fathimath Jumana Nimal, an experienced table tennis player, is also currently training in India.
"The junior players who are currently in Croatia will go directly to the tournament in India where Malaak and the team's coach will join them," Ali Rasheed said.
Sri Lankan table tennis coach Ishaan is expected to coach the Maldivian players in the upcoming tournament.
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