The boys’ Under-19 final swung sharply in momentum from the outset. Nigeria fell behind 0–2 after a difficult start, before Sultan Agunbiade halted the slide with a spirited win in the third rubber to narrow the deficit to 2–1. Matthew Kuti, who had earlier been edged 2–3 by Yassin Gaber, then leveled the tie at 2–2 with a 3–1 win over Abdelmalk Elsayed, setting up a decisive final match between Atunwon and Gaber.
That deciding rubber lived up to its billing. Both players traded games evenly to push the tie to 2–2, before Atunwon surged to an 8–2 lead in the fifth.
Gaber responded with a stunning comeback, leveling at 8–8 and reaching match point at 10–8, but Atunwon held his nerve, clawing back to 10–10 before closing out the game 16–14 to secure the title for Nigeria.
While Nigeria celebrated in the boys’ Under-19 category, Egypt confirmed its status as the continent’s dominant youth table tennis force by sweeping the remaining three team titles: boys’ Under-15, girls’ Under-15, and girls’ Under-19.
In the boys’ Under-15 final, defending champions Nigeria who had needed a tense 3–2 semifinal win over hosts Ghana to reach the final were overwhelmed 3–0 by an Egyptian side led by Asser Sameh.
Ahmed Elsabbagh defeated Marvelous Joseph in straight sets, Sameh overcame Usman Ayoola without dropping a game, and Hussein Eyad completed the whitewash against Samson Joshua.
Egypt’s girls’ Under-15 side reclaimed the title they had surrendered to Uganda in 2025, defeating Tunisia 3–1, while the girls’ Under-19 team extended that dominance with a commanding 3–0 win over Algeria to retain their crown.
Team Finals
- Boys’ U-19: Nigeria beat. Egypt 3–2
- Boys’ U-15: Egypt beat. Nigeria 3–0
- Girls’ U-15: Egypt beat. Tunisia 3–1
- Girls’ U-19: Egypt beat. Algeria 3–0
With three of four team trophies secured, Egypt reaffirmed its supremacy in African youth table tennis, while Nigeria found consolation in Atunwon’s unforgettable performance under pressure.
Alongside the main championships, the ITTF Hopes Week and Challenge Africa 2026 brought together 35 of the continent’s brightest young talents in Accra for six days of intensive training.
Guided by coach Eva Jeler and supported by coaches from Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Benin, Under-12 players from 15 member associations worked on high-performance skills, tactics, and long-term talent development.
The programme’s climax arrived on July 18, with Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira winning the boys’ category and Egypt’s Zeina Ayma Mohammed topping the girls’ event. Nigeria’s Ayoola Umar Olawale finished second among the boys, while Uganda’s Patience Anyango and Tunisia’s Ritej Cherif shared second place in the girls’ competition.
Beyond the competition itself, three coaches earned ITTF scholarships, and female coaches took part through the federation’s “My Gender, My Strength” initiative, underscoring ITTF-Africa’s continued commitment to inclusivity in the sport.
Event Coordinator David Senyo commended the Ghana Table Tennis Association and ITTF for creating an environment in which young players could thrive, describing Accra as more than a tournament host, a launchpad for the continent’s future champions.