Nigeria successfully defended its U-19 Boys’ Team title at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana, after producing a thrilling comeback victory over Egypt in a pulsating final.
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Sports247 reports that Agunbiade Sultan inspired the defending champions with a remarkable fightback after recovering from two games down to turn the tide in Nigeria’s favour.
His resilience paved the way for teammates Kuti Matthew, popularly known as “The Dragon,” and Atunwon Quadri, nicknamed the “Table Tennis Messi,” to seal a dramatic 3-2 triumph and retain the continental crown.
While Nigeria celebrated success in the U-19 boys’ category, Egypt once again underlined its dominance across the youth championships by claiming three other team titles.
In the U-19 Girls’ Team final, the Egyptian quartet of Habiba Elbasoumy, Yara Elbadawy, Malak Abdelshakour, and Farida Thabet delivered a commanding performance to sweep aside Algeria 3-0, successfully defending their continental title.
Egypt also emerged champions in the U-15 Boys’ Team event, where Ahmed Elsabbagh, Sameh Asser, Hussein Eyad, and Kosba Mohamed proved too strong for Nigeria.
The North Africans recorded a comprehensive 3-0 victory over the Nigerian team of Joseph Marvelous, Umar Ayoola, and Samson Joshua to lift the title.
The Egyptian dominance continued in the U-15 Girls’ Team final, as Zaki Malak, Nada Elbadawy, Darin Abdelsalam, and Mahgoub Daleela edged Tunisia 3-2 in a fiercely contested encounter to secure another continental crown.
The championship once again showcased the growing standard of youth table tennis across Africa, with Nigeria and Egypt reaffirming their status as two of the continent’s leading forces.
Nigeria’s successful defence of the U-19 Boys’ Team title stands out as one of the highlights of the tournament, demonstrating the country’s strength in developing young table tennis talents capable of competing at the highest level in Africa.
