Coach Ismail: Player ready to keep making history
Hana Gouda has written a new chapter in the history of sports.
The 18-year-old Egyptian star recently amazed the world at the Women’s Table Tennis World Cup in China.
By reaching the quarterfinals, she became the firstEgyptian, Arab and African player to get that far in this major tournament.
Even though she still young, she proved that she can compete with the planet’s top players.
In the quarterfinal match, Hana faced a massive challenge, playing against Sun Yingsha, the world’s number one player and an Olympic champion.
Playing in front of a huge Chinese crowd, Hana did not get scared. She played a historic match and came very close to winning, eventually losing with a very tight score of 4-3.
This performance showed everyone that she is now a top-level threat in international table tennis.
Hana’s success is the result of years of hard work.
While she represents the Egyptian national team, she also gains valuable experience playing for the French club Metz TT (Metz Tennis de Table).
Playing in Europe against top international professionals has helped her reach new heights.
Hana has been on a winning streak in recent months. These victories have pushed her world ranking to 22nd place, the highest for an Egyptian or African player ever.
Hana’s coach, Hisham Ismail, said she prepares for these big events by holding training camps in countries like Germany and France, and sometimes in Egypt.
However, the schedule is sometimes very busy, which gives them little time between tournaments.
“The tournament has a group system, and Hana won her first two matches to move to the round of 16,” Coach Ismail said.
“There, she played the number one player from France,” he told The Egyptian Gazette in an interview.
Hana played a fantastic match and won 13-11, giving her the most important and happiest moment.
This moment, coach Ismail said, made Hana the first Egyptian and African in the quarterfinals.
When it came to the big match against the world number one, coach Ismail was very proud.
“We succeeded in putting the Chinese champion on the spot on her own home ground, even as we lost by just one point,” coach Ismail said.
“We lost the match, but we earned the world’s respect,” he added proudly.
When Hana returned home, she was given a hero’s welcome by Minister of Youth and Sports, GawharNabil, and the President of the Table Tennis Federation, Maj. Gen. Ashraf Helmy who received her at the airport.
The Minister praised her, saying her achievement shows how much Egyptian table tennis is developing.
The government, he added, would continue to support her so she can keep raising Egypt’s name high.
Coach Ismail described support from the fans as the “best part”.
He was touched by the fact that the fans stayed up until 6:00 a.m. to watch Hana play because of the time difference.
“We felt like the whole country was behind us,” he said.
Now, the team is already looking forward. Their next big challenge is the World Team Championships in London, which starts on April 27.
Hana’s rise to the top began when she was just a child. Her talent was so obvious that she became the first Egyptian, Arab, and African player to ever rank number one in the world for U-15 girls.
This early success was mirrored at home with Al Ahly SC, where she achieved a legendary feat by winning four national titles in a single season, covering the U-12, U-15, U-18, and U-21 categories, while also leading the local rankings.
On the continental and global stage, Hana has consistently made history.
She is the youngest player ever to win the African Women’s Championship and recently secured her fourth title in February 2026.
Her international trophy collection includes a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Thailand, gold in Tunisia, and a historic bronze in the U-19 category in Sweden.
She has also excelled in doubles, winning gold in Doha in 2023 and bronze at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Romania, proving she is a champion in every format of the game.
Hana, her coach said, is ready to keep making history.
