Kamal Deen Mahdi sponsors off season table tennis competition

Civil Engineer and Philanthropist, Mr. Kamal Deen Mahdi has reiterated his passion and support for Sports and Development in Ghana. This he said at the opening ceremony of the friendly table tennis match between Tesano Spinners Table Tennis Club and Ghana Navy Table Tennis Club at the premises of Early Days School, adjacent NSIA Insurance at Tesano.

He also said he will bring on board businessmen to invest in the game. He further pledged his support for the inaugural outdoor table tennis player talent hunt dubbed ‘ Table Tennis Under Bridge’ to be held at Ofankor Barrier-Achimota on Saturday, January 14.

Mr. Louis Laryea (Ots33), who also sponsored the event pledged to liaise with appropriate authorities to restore the lost glory of table tennis in Ghana.

Mr. Kwame Ampong Asomaning of Breakthrough Photography, also covered the event for free. He said this was his widow’s mite to support Tesano Spinners and pledged to avail himself for future events.

In response to Mr. Mahdi’s assurance, President of Tesano Table Tennis Club, Mr. Charles Richard Tachie-Menson thanked him for his timely intervention and his support to the development of the game. He further threw an open invitation to all lovers of the game, companies in Tesano and its environs as well as well-wishers to support Spinners Table Tennis Club. He stated that the club is being built around professionalism.

‘’At the just ended National Table Tennis league, Team Tesano won two coveted awards; Most Organized club and Third best Manager Awards. Currently, we have three foreign players playing for the club. They are Wang Zujun from China, Byron White from USA and Chuka Odiamma from Nigeria.’’

Captain and Secretary of Tesano Spinners Table Tennis Club, Nathaniel Kwesi Somuah (Sigor), thanked the trio, his mates from Achimota School; Kamal Deen Madhi, Louis Laryea and Kwame Ampong Asomaning for being living waters to a thirsty land.

‘‘I remember when we were in Achimota School, we lived together as one big family. We were taught to be living waters to a thirsty land, to give our all in whatever fields we find ourselves, and today, we have lived it well. Louis Laryea, I remember how you played a key defensive position in Achimota school team and helped the school to win many trophies in football.

As sports Prefect in Achimota School in year 2000, I learnt the rudiments of sports development and Management and it is my wish that come Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Ghana will be well represented in Table Tennis.

In response, Ghana’s number one Table Tennis Player and 13^th ranked in Africa, Derek Abrefa said he will do whatever he can to represent Ghana in Tokyo 2020, and also push talented players to reach their goals by supporting in their training and development.

Hitherto, there were very few off-season friendly matches, but Tesano Spinners has made it a core of their calendar to tour all the home grounds of all the teams in the National Table Tennis League and also invite the teams for return encounters.

At the end of the friendly hostilities, Ghana Navy triumphed over Tesano Spinners. The return encounter is in two weeks time.

Ghana Table Tennis has seen a rise in performance and sponsorship under the leadership of President Mawuko Afadzinu of Stanbic bank and Vice President Ing. Ken Ashigbey of Graphic Communications Limited.