‎By Teddy Nwanunobi

‎Egypt reaffirmed its supremacy in African youth table tennis, reigning supreme by claiming the boys’ U-15, girls’ U-15, and girls’ U-19 titles at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships.

‎But Nigeria found solace in Quadri Atunwon’s unforgettable heroics.

‎Atunwon delivered a heroic performance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, securing gold in the boys’ U-19 team event at the tournament.

‎His resilience ensured Nigeria retained the crown in Accra, even as Egypt stamped its authority across the tournament by sweeping three of the four team titles on offer.

‎The boys’ U-19 final against Egypt was a rollercoaster. Nigeria trailed 0–2 after early setbacks, but Sultan Agunbiade sparked hope with a spirited win in the third game, narrowing the score to 2–1. Matthew Kuti, who had earlier lost a tight 2–3 battle to Yassin Gaber, redeemed himself with a 3–1 victory over Abdelmalk Elsayed, levelling the tie at 2–2. That set the stage for a dramatic decider between Atunwon and Gaber.

‎The final match had all the hallmarks of a classic. Both players traded blows in a contest of power and precision, pushing the tie to 2–2 in games. Atunwon surged ahead 8–2 in the fifth, only for Gaber to mount a stunning comeback, levelling at 8–8 and even reaching match point at 10–8. But Atunwon refused to yield. He clawed back to 10–10, and in a nail-biting finish, clinched the game 16–14 to seal Nigeria’s triumph and preserve their U-19 title.

‎Elsewhere, Egypt reigned supreme. They swept aside Nigeria, Tunisia, and Algeria to claim the boys’ U-15, girls’ U-15, and girls’ U-19 titles.

‎Nigeria, the defending U-15 champions, struggled through the semifinal against hosts Ghana, edging a 3–2 win, but were dismantled in the final by Egypt’s flawless 3–0 display. Led by talisman Asser Sameh, Egypt dominated: Ahmed Elsabbagh dispatched Marvelous Joseph 3–0, Sameh himself overwhelmed Usman Ayoola 3–0, and Hussein Eyad completed the rout with another straight-sets victory over Samson Joshua.

‎In the girls’ U-15 division, Egypt reclaimed the crown they had lost to Uganda in 2025, defeating Tunisia 3–1. Their dominance continued in the girls’ U-19 category, where they humbled Algeria with a commanding 3–0 win to retain their title.