Junior Aruna Wins Two Medals at WTT Youth Contender

Nigerian table tennis prodigy, Junior Aruna, is already making waves on the international stage, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Quadri Aruna, after claiming two medals at the recently concluded 2026 WTT Youth Contender in Luxembourg.

Aruna’s fearless play and resilience earned him a bronze medal in the boys’ U-13 singles on April 9, 2026.

His journey was far from easy—after an opening 3-0 loss to Italy’s Mattia Somaini, he bounced back with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Lorenzo Armani and a commanding 3-0 win against Aaron Xia to progress from the group stage.

He then swept Poland’s Antoni Zajac 3-0 in the round of 16 and outplayed Bulgaria’s Dan Zhelyazkov 3-1 in the quarter-finals.

His run ended in the semi-finals against France’s rising star, Sacha Douaran, but the bronze medal was a powerful statement that Junior Aruna is beginning to carve his own path.

In the U-11 category on April 11, Aruna went one step further. After advancing from the group stage, he produced his best performance of the tournament in the semi-finals, edging Luxembourg’s Noah Wolter 3-2 to reach the final.

Facing Bulgaria’s Zhelyazkov once again, Aruna fought valiantly, losing narrowly 15-13 in the opening game before falling 11-8, 11-8 in the next two games to settle for silver.

With two medals—bronze in U-13 and silver in U-11—Aruna’s performance showcased not only his talent but also his determination and fighting spirit.

At just 10 years old, he is coached by his mother, Ganiat Aruna. His siblings, Mariam and Amirah Aruna, are also under her tutelage.

In January 2025, they all reached the podium at the João Monteiro Table Tennis Tournament held in Portugal.

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