Quarcoo overcomes adversity to fly Ghana’s flag at African Championships

Ghana’s Ernest Mawutor Quarcoo will stand alone as the nation’s flag bearer at the ITTF African Championships in Rades, Tunisia, from October 12–19, 2025.

It is a remarkable achievement for the 33-year-old who has battled his way to the very top without the backing of his own federation.

The Fire Officer, ranked third among Africa’s elite in the world singles standings, sealed qualification after a dazzling run at the World Table Tennis Contender African Championship in Lagos last month. 

Against all odds, he swept through his group in Nigeria’s fiercely competitive tournament to secure his spot among the continent’s top eight.

But the road to Lagos was anything but smooth. With little to no support from the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Quarcoo had to scrape together funds and organise his own travel, relying on a handful of loyal backers to keep his dream alive.

“They didn’t believe in me,” he admitted. “But I knew I had to prove myself – not just for me, but for every young player in Ghana who dares to dream in this sport.”

Now, he will line up against Africa’s finest, including Senegal’s Ibrahim Diaw, second seed Tresor Nzeyimana, Mauritius’ Zayyan Hossein and Botswana’s Bakang Maloka.

They’ll be joined by a strong cast featuring Sudan’s Elmutasin Eltayeb and Amgad Mahrous, as well as Zambia’s Choolwe Hamalambo.

Ghana won’t be entirely without back-up: national teammates James Marfo and Emmanuel Commey will travel to Tunisia as reserves for the Black Loopers, ready to step in if called upon.