African stars fail to match Onaolapo’s Youth Olympics feat

Africa’s quest for a first table tennis medal at the Youth Olympic Games suffered another setback after all 15 representatives at Dakar 2026 were eliminated from the competition, with the continent once again failing to match Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo’s historic quarter-final feat at Singapore 2010.

Sixteen years after Onaolapo became the first African player to reach the quarter-finals of the singles event at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, none of the continent’s representatives in Dakar could progress to the last eight.

The latest exits came on Tuesday when the continent’s two remaining players, Algeria’s Tania Morice and Egypt’s Abdelmalk Elsayed, bowed out in the Round of 16.

Elsayed’s impressive run was halted by Japan’s Ryuusei Kawakami, who secured a commanding 4-0 victory (11-4, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3) in just 22 minutes.

Morice also exited after losing 4-1 to Hong Kong’s Tsz Tung Su in the women’s singles. Although the Algerian managed to claim the third game, she was unable to contain her opponent’s pace and precision, eventually going down 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 in 28 minutes.

Their departures followed the elimination of 13 other African players at the preliminary stage, leaving the continent without representation in the quarter-finals.

The disappointing outcome means Onaolapo’s achievement at Singapore 2010 remains the benchmark for African players in the singles event.

At the inaugural edition of the Youth Olympic Games, the Nigerian topped his group to advance to the second round before extending his impressive campaign to the quarter-finals, where he faced Japan’s Koki Niwa.

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Despite a spirited display, Onaolapo lost 4-2 to bring his historic run to an end. His performance, however, established a significant milestone for African table tennis at the global youth competition.

The Nigerian subsequently established himself as an important member of the national team, playing a pivotal role in Nigeria’s historic bronze-medal finish at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Since his breakthrough in Singapore, no African player has reached the last eight of the singles event at the Youth Olympic Games, with the trend continuing at Dakar 2026.

With Morice and Elsayed now out, Africa’s wait for its first table tennis medal at the competition also continues.

The table tennis event is scheduled to reach its climax on November 5 at the Dakar Expo Centre in Diamniadio.