11/09/2011       

The host nation’s Sameh Eid and Hassan Hefni are two players with distinct medal hopes at the African Para Table Tennis Championships, which commenced in the Egyptian city of Ismailia on Tuesday 8th November and is scheduled to conclude, after three days of action, on Thursday 10th November 2011.

Together, they won the bronze medal in the Men’s Team Class 5 Team event at the World Para Table Tennis Championships in the Korean city of Gwangju in 2010.

In Ismaila, Sameh Eid is named in the Men’s Class 4 events with Hassan Hefni being present in the Men’s Class 5 competitions.

Less than Two Hundred Years Old
They are two of the leading names in a tournament that has attracted 77 entries to a city which by Egyptian standards is a very new metropolis.

Egyptian history goes back thousands of years, yet Ismailia is net yet 200 years old.

Magnificent City
The city was founded in 1863, during the construction of the Suez Canal, by Khedive Ismail the Magnificent, after whom the city is named.

In 2011, the Olympic Village provides a magnificent venue and, for some, the route to a magnificent conclusion with medals duly secured.

Entries
Egypt with 27 men and 19 women in action form the strongest contingent in terms of numbers; next in line is Nigeria with 11 men and 7 women, whilst from Morocco two men and one woman are in action.

Completing the line-up is the Ivory Coast, the field two male players.

Factor 50 Tournament
The tournament is a Factor 50 event for ranking purposes; as per the norm Classes 1 to 5 are for wheelchair players, Classes 6 to 10 for Standing athletes and Class 11 for those with an intellectual disability.

Equipment
Play takes place using Donic tables and net and post sets with eight tables being available for wheelchair access; the balls are provided by Tibhar with the court mat being Taraflex.