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I Want To Be Number One Seed In Ghana--Mawutor Quarcoo

By Sammy Heywood Okine
Tennis I Want To Be Number One Seed In Ghana--Mawutor Quarcoo
FEB 20, 2019 LISTEN

Ernest Mawutor Quarcoo, Ghana’s new table tennis sensation has high ambitions of representing the country at this year's All Africa Games to be staged in Morocco and win a medal for the nation.

Quarcoo, who won the 2019 Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Chairman’s Cup at the Accra Sports Stadium on January 26, is optimistic of clinching Ghana’s first medal in the men’s singles competition at the All Africa Games since 1965 when Emmanuel Quaye won bronze at the Brazzaville Games.

“I am always training because my main target is to represent Ghana at the All Africa Games and win a medal and I would not relent on my training. I won the Chairman’s Cup because I trained well and I would continue to train,” he told the media in an interview.

Quarcoo is a leading Fire Officer at the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and has recorded some great feats in the sports, both local and international, and he is poised to do more.

“In 2009, I became the national under-18 champion. That same year, Emmanuel Commey and I represented Ghana at the Laurent Gbagbo West Africa Open Championship and won gold. The likes of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo and others contested, too. And I won the Chairman’s Cup this year.

“I have been training hard ever since I won the Chairman’s Cup. I will not relent, and my dream is to play at the highest level. I believe that the All Africa Games in August would be a fine opportunity to make my dream a reality,” he stated.

Despite his enormous talent, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) officer says he could have quit the sport and shifted his attention to something else.

“At a point, I wanted to stop playing and do something else. I encountered many challenges in life which were damaging my table tennis career. I even had an invitation to play an under-18 tournament in Germany but could not go because of those,” Quarcoo revealed.

However, in the face of those setbacks, Quarcoo found support from loved ones and his superiors at work.

“I had encouragement from other sources, management, some colleagues and some fans who believed that I was a good player,” he added.

The gifted player was showered with praises at the GNFS Headquarters when he presented the Chairman’s Cup trophy to his boss, Chief Fire Officer Edwin Ekow Blankson, who expressed his confidence that the junior officer would be a future star in the sport.

“I knew one-day Mawutor would win a trophy. I’m very elated about what we have seen here. Mawutor has lifted the image of the service. I encourage him to do better, with the discipline he will go far,” the Mr Blankson said.

Meanwhile, GTTA president, Mawuko Afadzinu, said the sky was the limit for Quarcoo if he consistently trains. “I have no doubt in the potential and capabilities of Mawutor. I know he is a good player.

Mawuto is currently ranked in the top three and he is capable of reaching the top.

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