Ali Thameem
At the 64th National Table Tennis Championship finals yesterday afternoon, Muhammad Shaffaan Ismail defended the men’s singles title, while Fathimath Dheema Ali regained the women’s singles title.
This year’s women’s singles finals saw Dheema come from behind to defeat Rafaa 4-1 and and take back her crown. Rafaa, who won last year’s final with a dominant four-set victory, managed a narrow win in the first set this time, but Dheema won the following four sets 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 and 12-10.
The men’s singles title saw Mohamed Shaffaan defend the title, defeating Moosa Munsif Ahmed yet again, by four sets to one. Shaffaan won the first three sets 11-9, 11-9 and 11-4, but Munsif took the fourth set 11-5. Shaffaan then won the fifth set 11-8 to secure the championship.
The first division men’s doubles title was won by Munsif and Aal, defeating Shaffaan and Mohamed Maizar Adam Zaahir.
Dheema took home the women’s doubles title together with the 15-year-old Aishath Alsa Nafiz. The pair won it against Mishkaa Mohamed Ibrahim and Aishath Malaak Thaseen. Alsa had also won gold in both U17 and U15 girls’ singles categories.
On top of the singles and doubles titles, Dheema took the mixed doubles championship alongside Shaffan. The pair had settled for silver in the same event at last year’s national championship, having lost at the hands of Rafaa and Munsif.
The under-19 boys’ singles finalists were two 17-year-olds; Mohamed Aal Imran and Umair Mohamed Muizzu. Aal, who was the champion of men’s doubles alongside Munsif, also had also won bronze in men’s singles. He managed to defeat Umair and win the U19 title.
Despite losing the U-19 final, Umair was able to win the under-17 title.
