by Ian Marshall (Interview by Olalekan Okusan)
It will be his debut in the prestigious multi-sport gathering but now 37 years old, Larbi Bouriah who plays for Courbevoie Sport in the third division of the French League, has suggested it will be his international swansong.
In fact, had it not been for colleagues Sami Kherouf and Mohamed Sofiène Boudjadja, he may well have hung up his racket some nine months ago!
Against all odds, in early September, colleagues Sami Kherouf and Mohamed Sofiène Boudjadja secured the first ever gold medal for Algeria at the African Games when they won the men’s doubles title in Rabat.
Notably en route they beat players from the continent’s nation’s which the richest tradition of success in the table tennis arenas of the world. At the semi-final stage they ousted Nigeria’s Segun Toriola and Olajide Omotayo before in the title deciding contest overcoming Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beialy and Ahmed Ali Saleh.
Motivational
Undoubtedly, the success motivated Larbi Bouriah; he spoke to Olalekan Okusan, ITTF-Africa Press Officer
“The men’s doubles title at 2019 African Games in Morocco was historic for Algeria. It was the first gold medal for Algerian table tennis at the African Games and it gave table tennis the needed recognition. It boosted the profile of the sport.
Before the 2019 African Games, I had decided that it would be my last outing with Algeria but the performance achieved by my teammates convinced me to continue with the hope to doing something special in the sport for my country. I was very happy for them and for Algerian table tennis so I wanted to also achieve something to help my sport and my country before retiring.
I am 37 years old and when your country calls you, you can’t say no. It is always an honour. Even if I am tired and old, I can’t practise like when I was young, if they think I can help them, then I am ready as it is a duty to my fatherland.
Table tennis has helped me to know myself better. I often say this sport drives you crazy. It has helped me to control myself, to keep focus on my goal and never give up. If it was not for table tennis, I would never have felt all these emotions, I would never have met all these people, I would never have visited all these countries all around the world.
There are lots of Algerians who are good players playing overseas and I hope we can convince some of them to play for Algeria. I believe the efforts we have made can convince them to join Algeria and help the progress of table tennis. Also if we want to rival Egypt and Nigeria, we have to develop table tennis on Algerian soil.”
Ninth Algerian
Larbi Bouriah becomes the ninth player from Algeria to gain a place in the table tennis events at an Olympic Games.
David Kaci and Ferid Oulami competed in the men’s doubles in 2000 in Sydney. Four years later in Athens, Mohamed Sofiène Boudjadja played in the men’s singles and men’s doubles partnering Hakim Djaziri. Additionally both Leila Bouceta and Assma Menaifi were present in the women’s singles; Assma Menaifi partnered Soad Mechad in the women’s doubles.
Later in 2008 Idir Khourta was on men’s singles duty in Beijing.