Two of Africa’s most decorated table tennis icons, Nigeria’s Segun Toriola and Egypt’s Ahmed Saleh, have reunited at the 2025 ITTF Africa Championships in Tunis, this time not as fierce rivals, but as mentors shaping the continent’s next generation of champions.
Between them, the pair share five African Championships singles titles, Saleh with three (2000, 2007, 2010) and Toriola with two (1998, 2002). Both also finished as runners-up twice — Toriola in 1992 and 1994, and Saleh in 2015 and 2018. Now, they have traded rackets for clipboards, serving as head coaches of their respective national teams.
Toriola, a four-time African Games gold medallist and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished athletes, fondly recalled his debut over three decades ago.
“I remember it clearly, it was after the 1991 African Games in Cairo that I made my debut at the African Championships in 1992,” he said. “Back then, every country had top-quality players, and the competition was fierce.”
Now coaching from the bench, Toriola admitted that the transition from player to coach comes with emotional challenges.
“It’s not easy being a coach, especially when you’re watching your player face someone you know you could beat, even now,” he joked. “Sometimes I feel like jumping in, but age won’t allow it.”
For Egypt’s Saleh, coaching has always been a dream. “When I was a player, I always wanted to become a coach — to pass on my knowledge and experience,” he said. “Now, being with the senior national team allows me to do just that.”
Reflecting on the evolution of the sport, Saleh noted, “In our time, we played cautiously, waiting for the right moment to attack. Today’s players are aggressive from the first ball. The tactics have changed, and I’m still adapting.”
Coaching alongside his long-time rival in Tunis, Saleh said, “It’s special to be here with Toriola. For young players, it’s a rare opportunity to learn from two people who’ve lived this game at the highest level.”
Together, the two legends embody the passing of the torch — guiding Africa’s rising stars with the same passion that once made them champions.