Picture: Faazil in action at the 2003 North American Championship

2004, August 16:

Proud Moment for Ismailis
Faazil Kassam, 19, plays in the Athens Olympics for Canada

Some ten years ago, when Nashir Kassam started teaching his 8 years old son, Faazil, some of the basic techniques of the game of table tennis, little did he realize that in a few years time he would be struggling to score even a single point against his determined son. But by the age of ten, just two years after being initiated into the game Faazil already had a dream - that of playing for Canada in the future Olympic games.

Faazil's dream came true when he qualified for the Canadian Olympic team to play in Athens.

He and his partner Johnny Huang began the 2004 Olympic tournament in style when they easily eliminated the Australian Men's Doubles players Trevor Brown and Russell Lavale 11-9, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8. But they were then defeated by the Swede legends Jorgen Persson and Jan-Ove Waldner today (Monday August 16th) in an exciting match. The scores were 11-7, 16-18, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6 to Jorgen Persson and Jan-Ove Waldner. Both Jorgen and Jan-Ove are veterans in the table tennis world circuit and have several world championships titles and an Olympic gold between them.

Amongst Faazil's accomplishments over the past few years have been winning a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships, winning the Under 18 Canadian Champion and playing at the Commonwealth Games, the Pan Am Games and the World Championship. He is now North America's Doubles Champion in the Men's Category. Very recently he lost to Christophe Bertin of France in an exciting final of the US Open Under 21 Men's Singles event. On the US finals Berin commented: "He (Faazil) is very strong from the corners. I had to spin to the middle". Faazil had earlier beaten the Frenchman in the quarter finals of the Brazilian Open.

We are indeed proud of this historical achievement by a teenage member of our Jamat. He probably is the first Ismaili Olympian ever in the Western World. We wish him the best in the years to come.