by Olalekan Okusan, ITTF-Africa Press Officer
Always accompanied by her mother, Hana Goda is well aware that hours and hours of hard work lie ahead, if in the table tennis arena, she is to become, African Olympic Games winner.
Hana Goda reflected on a busy year.
“The year 2018 was my first step on the road to fulfilling my dream. I started the year with a silver medal in the Hopes event in Oman and claimed same colour medal in the Mini Cadet event in Sweden. I secured a gold medal in the Mini Cadet competition in Tunisia in April.
Also this year, I won the Africa Hopes event in Mauritius and represented Africa at the ITTF Hopes Week and Challenge in Spain. I was the smallest player in the competition but I managed to win silver. I also featured for the World Hopes Team in the 2018 World Cadet Challenge; I was also the smallest player in that tournament.
My first memorable moment was winning a silver medal in at the Swedish Junior and Cadet Open. I was very happy standing on the podium. The second moment was making it to the podium again at the World Hopes Week in Spain; his time I was happy that I made it to the top four in the tournament. I was also sad because I lost the final match to miss out from the top prize.
My big dream is to be an Olympic champion as well as world number one, the first African. In the next two years, I hope I will be the World Cadet Challenge champion as well as one of the best cadet players in the world. I know it is a big dream and I will do my best to achieve this dream. God’s willing, 2019 will be a very good year for me and the next step to my dream.
My parents have played a major role in my career as my father has been supporting me financially to all the major tournaments including payments for the flight and training. Aside this, he has been supporting me emotionally by encouraging me to do my best in training and tournaments.
My mother never leaves me in all my trips, accompanying me to all the tournaments within and outside Egypt. She is my greatest supporter and motivator. She goes all out to give the necessary support and inspires to do well.”
The Goda family, all proud of Hana (Photo: courtesy of Olalekan Okusan)