Table Tennis: Kuti ends long wait for African crown
Nigeria's Matthew Kuti finally fulfilled his continental dream after claiming his maiden ITTF Africa Youth Cup title in the boys' U-19 singles, headlining an unforgettable championship filled with redemption stories and emerging stars in Accra, Ghana.
The tournament, held at the Borteyman Sports Complex, produced thrilling contests, but none was more inspiring than Kuti's journey to the top. After years of falling short on the continental stage, the Nigerian delivered when it mattered most, defeating compatriot Sultan Agunbiade 4-1 in the final on July 29 to lift his first African Youth Cup trophy.
Kuti's road to glory was powered by revenge. In the semi-finals, he avenged the heartbreaking quarter-final defeat he suffered at the Africa Youth Championships by overcoming Egypt's Abdelmalk Elsayed 4-2, setting up an all-Nigerian final.
Agunbiade also enjoyed a remarkable run to the title decider. The Nigerian produced one of the tournament's biggest upsets by knocking out Tunisia's top seed and defending champion, Wassim Essid, in a commanding 4-1 victory. After racing into a 3-0 lead, Agunbiade held his nerve despite Essid's brief comeback to book his place in the final, underlining Nigeria's growing dominance in African youth table tennis.
In the girls' U-19 singles, Habiba Elbasoumy of Egypt emerged as the continent's new champion after defeating Algeria's Jade Morice 4-1. With top seed Yara Elbadawy eliminated in the quarter-finals, the competition was guaranteed a new winner, and Elbasoumy seized the opportunity in impressive fashion.
The girls' U-15 event belonged to Tunisia's Ela Saidi, who turned heartbreak into triumph. Having suffered a narrow defeat to Uganda's Patience Anyango at the Africa Youth Championships, Saidi returned determined to rewrite the script, cruising to a convincing 3-0 victory in the final to claim the continental title.
Meanwhile, Egypt's Asser Sameh stamped his authority in the boys' U-15 category. Living up to his "Mr. Perfect" nickname, Sameh completed an unbeaten campaign by defeating Uganda's Joseph Sebatindira 3-0 in the final. His flawless record across both the singles and team events made him the tournament's standout performer and the only player to remain undefeated throughout the championship.
From Kuti's long-awaited breakthrough to the emergence of new champions across the categories, the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup showcased the bright future of African table tennis, with Nigeria once again proving it remains one of the continent's leading forces.
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