Dina Meshref down but not out as she vows to make most of her Paris Olympics experience

Egyptian table tennis star pairs up with Hana Goda to take on top-seeded China in team event

Dina Meshref of Egypt in action during her Women's Round of 32 match against Hina Hayata of Japan of the Table Tennis competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at The South Paris Arena in Paris, France, 31 July 2024. EPA / MARTIN DIVISEK

Dina Meshref returns a shot to Hina Hayata. The Egyptian suffered a 4-0 defeat to her Japanese opponent. EPA

Dina Meshref of Egypt prepares to serve. EPA

Hina Hayata of Team Japan advanced to the last-16 courtesy of a 4-0 win over Egypt's Dina Meshref. Getty

Dina Meshref of Egypt (back) in action during her Women's Round of 32 match against Hina Hayata of Japan of the Table Tennis competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at The South Paris Arena in Paris, France, 31 July 2024. EPA / MARTIN DIVISEK

Hina Hayata of Japan in action during her women's round-of-32 match against Dina Meshref of Egypt. EPA

Egypt's Dina Meshref prepares to serve against Japan's Hina Hayata. AP

Dina Meshref of Egypt reacts after her 4-0 defeat. Reuters

Japan's Hina Hayata plays against Egypt's Dina Meshref. AP

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The singles campaigns of Dina Meshref and Hana Goda have come to an end at the Paris 2024 Olympics but the Egyptian duo have vowed to give it their all when they take on top-seeded China in the team event.

Meshref, a four-time Olympian and Egypt’s top player, fell in the second round on Wednesday to Japanese third seed Hina Hayata 15-13, 12-10, 11-3, 11-9.

The Egyptian lefty had three set points in the opening frame and pushed Hayata to her limits in the first two sets before eventually succumbing 4-0.

“I need a bit of a day off tomorrow to reset, so I can have a clear mind for the team competition,” Meshref told The National in a phone interview from Paris on Wednesday.

“But I know Hana and I, both of us, have shifted our mindset when it comes to facing Chinese players. We have a different mentality compared to the past and we believe in our chances more.

“I want to make the most of the Paris Olympics, I’ll give it my all and we’re going to encourage each other to do our best. We want to enter this match with positive energy and anything can happen. We’ll do our best.”

Meshref has been doing everything possible to be in peak condition for her matches in the French capital. She skipped the opening ceremony to avoid fatigue and to stay locked in. She stayed in the Olympic Village for just two days before moving to a hotel so she can sleep better – in an air-conditioned room – and remain focused.

She was dealt a brutal draw in all three events: mixed doubles, singles, and teams.

In mixed, she and Omar Assar drew the Chinese top seeds Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha in the opening round. The Egyptian pair lost 4-0. In singles, Meshref beat Spain’s Maria Xiao in the first round before falling to Asian Games silver medallist Hayata.

It goes without saying that facing China in the team event is a daunting task.

“The day of the draw, I didn’t know what to do,” Meshref, 30, said with a laugh.

A month ago, Meshref had a ranking that would have seeded her 15 at the Olympics but she dropped a couple of spots, to 17th, in the final weeks before the Games, which meant she could face a higher seed at an earlier stage in the tournament.

“I was dealt a tough draw, but I told myself not to think about it, because that attitude can make me lose even from the first round,” said Meshref.

“I am satisfied with my performance [against Hayata] because I gave absolutely everything I could during the match and I showcased things I didn’t even know I was capable of.

“All I wish for though is to have access to the resources that would allow me to unlock my capabilities. I feel like with the bare minimum, I was kind of close. Yes I lost 4-0, but the first two sets were 15-13 and 12-10.”

Meshref has been trying to find the best training conditions to gain access to elite-level training partners. She set up her own training camp in Japan in the build-up to the Olympics, at the club where Hayata trains, hoping to spar with players of that calibre. Things didn’t necessarily pan out that way.

“The coach who helped me arrange that camp assured me I would have access to exceptional training and when I went, yes I trained well, but I was training with the youth team. The top players tend to be closed off and they don’t train with outsiders, which is logical, and they have every right to do that, because they have the edge. But ultimately I lacked training at the highest level,” she said.

Still, she was able to come within one point of taking a set off the third-seeded Hayata in Paris and pushed her hard in three of the four sets.

“In the past, when I used to play against Hina Hayata [it was] as if it’s far-fetched [to beat her] and I used to respect her way too much. This time, because I had to give it my all and I wanted to reach the next round so bad, I almost killed myself training the last two days,” she explained.

“Obviously you need months of preparation at that level. I managed to arrange a training with a Korean lefty and from just one day of training with her, I felt like my level improved in the tournament. So that’s why I was so upset when I lost the match, because I felt like, ‘What if I have access to train with someone like that for just two months, imagine what can happen?’

“I want to, but I can’t reach the resources I need, in terms of training partners that are at least at my level or higher, but not lower. But recently, I haven’t been able to find that at all.”

Despite the results, Meshref has had a positive experience in Paris, where she says the fans have created an incredible atmosphere – a welcome change to the fan-less halls in Tokyo 2020.

She’s also thrilled to see her long-time teammate Assar advance to the quarter-finals for a second consecutive Olympics. Assar came back from two games down to defeat Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko 4-2 in men’s singles on Wednesday and book a last-eight clash with Sweden’s Truls Moregard.

“It’s definitely something that makes us all very proud. I’ve known Omar since we were playing Under-15s. I know how much he has been eyeing an Olympic medal from a very young age,” said Meshref.

“So to see him work so hard, travelling abroad since he was a kid, I know how much he deserves this. And hopefully he will go even farther.

“The truth is, whether it’s Omar, or myself, or Hana Goda, everything we are doing is an individual effort. I know very well how hard he has worked and he really deserves it.”

Like many Egyptian athletes, Meshref has received criticism from sports fans back home, who have taken to social media to mock the country’s Olympians’ efforts.

“Of course when I read a negative comment my initial reaction is to get very upset,” admitted Meshref.

“But then I keep thinking of all the celebrities who keep getting negative comments on every single thing they post online. Anyone under the spotlight, the default is to criticise that person. You also realise that these people do not understand anything about sport. They’re so far from this environment, and realising that helps me handle it. But also it’s so hard not to respond to some of these negative comments sometimes.”

Meshref found herself in that situation on Wednesday, where a fan commented on an Instagram post that mentioned she had been to four Olympics. “Hopefully she doesn’t go to a fifth,” wrote the fan.

“I responded to the comment and asked her, ‘Have you seen me train or prepare for these Olympics? Have you seen all the injuries I went through, all the effort I put in?’ I really do not understand people being this negative,” said Meshref.

“But also they have no idea what it takes to qualify for the Olympics, and they know nothing about me. I do nothing in my life except train. I do everything I possibly can for this sport. And I asked that person, ‘If I can do more, then why wouldn’t I? You think I would choose to be stingy with myself when it comes to giving an effort? Do I not want to perform better? Of course I want to’. But criticism is inevitable I guess.”

One athlete who has received praise and criticism in equal measure has been Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez, who remarkably beat the No 7 seed in sabre fencing before losing in the last 16 while being seven months pregnant. She only revealed her pregnancy on social media after she exited the Olympics. The post has gone viral.

“I had no idea; I was very surprised when I saw her post. I really empathised with her. It’s about choices and I am sure she wants her baby to be fine and she’s a doctor, and her husband is a doctor,” said Meshref.

“I mean, defeating the world No 7, even if she wasn’t pregnant, is impressive.

“We were also so happy [for epee fencing bronze medallist Mohamed Elsayed]. He won his medal the same day I won my opening match and we were all so happy for him and so proud of him,” she added.

“Fencing is not a sport where we win many medals in and he’s young as well, only 21, so it’s something to be proud of.”

Meshref, Goda, and Mariam Alhodaby will take on China in table tennis team action on August 5 at South Paris Arena 4.