Maldives table tennis player Mohamed Shaffan has made an impressive mark at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, by advancing to the top 16 of the men’s singles event.
In a thrilling match, Shaffan faced off against Nepal’s Maharjan Rubin in the men’s singles event, securing his place in the top 16 with a convincing 4-1 victory. Shaffan started strong by taking the first set 11-6, but Maharjan responded quickly by winning the second set 11-3. Undeterred, Shaffan clinched the next three sets 11-8, 11-6, and 11-8, securing his spot among the top 16 competitors in the men’s singles event.
This remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone for the Maldivian Table Tennis team at this year’s Asian Games. In previous matches, both the women’s and men’s teams faced challenges, and the mixed doubles match ended in a defeat, with Shaffan and Laisa Fathullah falling to North Korea with a score of 1-11, 2-11, 7-11.
Moosa Munsif Ahmed also represented the Maldives in the men’s singles event. Unfortunately, Munsif faced a formidable opponent from Bahrain, ultimately losing the match 4-1. Despite a strong start for the Bahraini player, who won the first two sets 11-6 and 11-4, Munsif put up a good fight in the subsequent sets, narrowly losing 13-15, 11-13, and 7-11.
In the women’s singles event, Aishath Rafa Nazim gave it her all but faced a challenging opponent in Chiong Chi Hun of Macau. Despite winning the second set with a score of 11-8, Rafa couldn’t maintain her momentum, ultimately losing the match 4-1. Chiong Chi Hun secured the first set with a score of 11-5 and went on to win the next two sets with scores of 11-9 and 11-4.