15 May 2025
Aspire Academy student-athlete Ahmed Korani faces one of his toughest tests in his career as he prepares to compete at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2025 on home soil in Doha.
He is joined at the tournament, which runs from May 17 to 25, by Aspire Academy brothers, Mohammed and Abdullah Abdulwahhab.
Ahmed Korani, a grade 11 student, is set to compete in the singles and mixed doubles alongside Maryam Ali.
He begins his singles campaign on Sunday morning against fellow teenager Guan-Hong Kuo from Chinese Taipei, who is ranked 82nd in the world.
Mohammed Abdulwahhab is in the draw for the men's singles, the men's doubles with his brother and Aia Mohamed in the mixed doubles.
Reigning Arab Table Tennis Champion Mohammed Abdulwahhab has two matches on Sunday. In the singles, he faces New Zealand's Alfred Dela Pena, who is ranked number 104 in the world.
In the doubles, Mohammed and his brother, Abdullah Abdulwahhab, play against Romanians Iulian Chirita and Eduard Ionescu.
Ahead of the championships, Ahmed Korani explained that table tennis is not all about technique.
"I have been preparing for the tournament with an intensive training programme that has included both technical and physical sessions," he said.
"I have focused on improving all aspects of my performance, especially my mental focus and tactical awareness."
I would like to thank all at Aspire Academy for the significant role they have played in preparing me for these tournaments by providing full support, whether in training, medical care, or technical analysis.
"The professional environment at the academy has helped me improve continuously and be ready for any challenge."
"Playing in Qatar is very special for me; it fills me not only with pride but also with a sense of responsibility."
"Having my family and the Qatari fans in the stands will give me extra motivation, and I feel like I'm playing with double determination as I'm representing my country on home ground."
For his part, 2017 graduate Mohammed Abdulwahhab highlighted how Aspire Academy prepared him for these pivotal moments in his career.
"Well, Aspire Academy is my second home. While we were there, we participated in many tournaments that at the time were as important as the world championships, like the junior and youth events," he said.
"We were even lucky enough to be there when Aspire Academy hosted cadet and junior competitions, where we represented the country on home soil."
"Our journey at Aspire Academy has led us to moments like this, where we come out and perform. So, we have to thank Aspire Academy for creating and providing us with the greatest foundation to compete now.
"We've been preparing for this huge milestone, and we have been praying and doing our best. We have just come back from a competition in Saudi Arabia, so we're fully ready to represent the country," he said.
"Our goal is to reach the furthest point possible and to represent the country in the best way possible, and to show the world that we're here to fight, especially that it's on home soil."
"We are determined to put on a great show and prove what local Qatari players can do."
"No doubt that playing on home soil is a bit more stressful as we play in front of a home crowd, but we will turn this stress into excitement, into fuel to push us to get the best results."
"These are the moments you prepare for; it's actually a special moment, and we want to make the most of it."
"I will be even more special in the doubles with my younger brother. Although we may have disagreements, like all brothers, and joke a lot, we are now focused on a mission and taking this extremely seriously."
Sultan Al-Kuwari and Rawad Alnaser will also represent Qatar at the World Championships, both of whom have spent time training at Aspire Academy in the past.
The participation of the five athletes is a demonstration of the collaborative efforts of Aspire Academy and the Qatar Table Tennis Association.