By Editor
Egyptian teenage sensation Hana Goda has written her name into African table tennis history, becoming the first African female player to reach the quarterfinals of the prestigious ITTF World Cup. In doing so, she equaled the milestone set by Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, who broke the barrier back in 2014.
It has taken Africa 12 years to produce another World Cup quarterfinalist, and Goda’s achievement is doubly significant – she is not only the first Egyptian but also the only African woman ever to reach the last eight of the competition. Her remarkable run unfolded in Macao, China, on Friday, April 3, 2026.
Drawn in Group 14 alongside Macao’s Leong On Na and Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, Goda signaled her intent early, sweeping both opponents 3-0 to top the group and advance to the knockout stage. There she faced France’s Jia Nan Yuan in a gripping encounter that lived up to its billing.
Despite losing the opening game 11-9, Goda fought back with resilience, leveling the match before taking control in the third game. The French veteran responded with her experience, forcing a decider after a tense back-and-forth battle. With the score tied at 3-3, the seventh game became a test of nerves and maturity. Trailing 7-10 at one point, Goda clawed her way back to clinch the match 13-11, collapsing to the floor in relief as she sealed her place in history.
“It is a joy and feeling that I can’t describe,” Goda said afterwards. “It was a very strong match against the French champion, Jianan Yuan. We arrived at 3-3, and in the last game I was down 7-10 but fought back to win 13-11. Our Lord is generous. Thanks to my coach, Hisham Ismail, who stood by me and believed in my victory.”
With this triumph, Hana Goda has not only matched Aruna’s milestone but also blazed a trail for African women in table tennis, proving that the continent’s future in the sport is brighter than ever. Her next challenge will be monumental, as she faces world No. 1 Sun Yingsha of China in the quarterfinals.
Extrasportnigeria 
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