WTT Feeder, Chennai: Two-time Olympian Diaw prepares for ‘after-career’

Apart from Senegal and Denmark, Diaw has also represented France at the youth level. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

At 34, Ibrahima Diaw has competed in two Olympic Games and numerous professional table tennis tournaments across the globe.

He is among the handful of players in the world to have represented three countries. He represented (born in) France at youth level, winning gold at the 2008 European Youth Championships, and Senegal at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

Diaw is now competing under Denmark’s flag at the WTT Feeder Chennai at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.

Speaking to Sportstar after his first-round victory over India’s Kushal Chopda on Friday, Diaw clarified that his association with Denmark was limited to WTT tournaments.

“I still love representing Senegal and am still playing for Senegal. I haven’t changed my country. I just live & train in Denmark, and they have allowed me to register for WTT tournaments from July 2026. If one day, Senegal selects me to play in the African Championships, I would, of course, be very happy to play,” said Diaw, ranked 205th in the world, having achieved a career-high of 53 in August 2022.

Though he has played in India before, his association with the country has grown stronger since he joined one of India’s leading paddlers, Harmeet Desai, as his physical trainer in July this year.

Diaw sees physical training as his future beyond competitive table tennis. “Yeah, I’m old. I’m actually preparing for my after-career. I’ve done my course in physical training. Harmeet & I have played together in foreign leagues. My job is to actually make him fresh for every tournament,” he said.

On partnering with Diaw, Harmeet said: “I like the way the French players work physically. So, I spoke to him, and he knows my game really well because we have played so many times together in the club league in Roanne (France).

According to Harmeet, working with Diaw has given him the much-needed balance when it comes to switching from backhand to forehand during rallies.

“If you get a ball suddenly from backhand to forehand, I used to lose my balance and I found that I was doing better in the Asian Championships in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) last month. I did much better in the counter attacking game. I don’t lose my balance. There is stability in the rally when it is going longer,” he said.

Senegal remains close to Diaw’s heart. As the country prepares to host the Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13, he will cheer for his father’s country.

“It was a great honour to represent Senegal and put them on the map in table tennis. I hope the Youth Olympic Games turns out to be a huge success,” he said.