We can create few ripples in table tennis, says top Qatar paddler

Doha, Nov 28 (UNI) Putting up a brave front and trying to prove that they are not overawed by the presence of powerhouse like China and Korea, Qatar's senior player Hamad Al Hammadi today said that his team's aim is to make it to the quarterfinal stage of the Table Tennis competition at the Asian Games.

Qatar is placed way down the leaderboard at 59th place in the men's world championship held here in January this year but Hammadi says in these Games, they are aimimg for the last eight berth.

''We are training very hard,'' Hammadi said of the the five-member team which will represent the counrry at the Games.

''Table tennis is a relatively old sport here and we have been playing the game since the Sixties. As for our chances in the Asian Games, it would be good if we could reach the quarter-finals,'' he said.

Hamad figures that countries like China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore will all be in the reckoning for medals in the men's events. Hamad himself will be playing in both the singles and the doubles.

''The competition will be very tough. You have to remember they are just not the best in Asia, but in the world. The sport is dominated by the Asian countries,'' he said.

Hammadi has taken part in the Olympics and is a two-time Arab champion, three-time GCC champion and also been a member of the West Asian games squad.

All eyes will be on youngster Ahmed Khalil Al Mohannadi. A mere 17-year-old, he has already been nicknamed the 'Qatari Gazelle' and is still classified as a junior. Ahmed will be making his debut as a senior player in this year's Games hoping to capitalise on his strengths - his service and topspin backhand.

The right-hander is ranked 815 in the world and recently underwent training in Canada. Other players making up Qatar's team besides Hamad and Ahmed are Ahmed Ahmed, Waleed Abdulla and Mohammad Al Saadi.

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