Africa’s future stars shone brightly in Lagos as Essid Wassim, Mariam Younes, Sebatindira Joseph, and Tania Morice were crowned champions at the inaugural ITTF Africa Youth Cup, officially named the Babatunde Raji Fashola Cup, www.aclsports.com reports.
The final day of the two-day tournament, held at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, delivered thrilling action and historic wins.
Former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, after whom the event is named, was in attendance, a symbolic nod to his pivotal role in establishing Lagos as a continental hub for elite sports. From the 2013 Lagos International Sports Classics to the WTT Contender Lagos, Fashola’s legacy in sports development remains significant.
Designed to nurture Africa’s next generation of table tennis stars, the Youth Cup produced four memorable champions.
In the U15 Girls’ Singles final, Algeria’s Tania Morice completed a dramatic comeback to defeat Uganda’s Jemimah Nakawala 3-2. Having already clinched the U15 title at the Africa Youth Championships earlier in the week, her triumph in the Youth Cup cemented her dominance in the age group and marked her as one of the standout performers of the tournament.
Uganda’s Sebatindira Joseph followed with an authoritative display in the U15 Boys’ Singles, defeating fellow countryman Sharif Nsereko in straight sets (3-0). The all-Ugandan final underlined the East African nation’s growing prominence at youth level.
In the U19 Girls’ Singles, Egypt’s Mariam Younes swept past compatriot Nour Zaki 4-0 in a one-sided final. It was Younes’ second title in Lagos, following her successful defence of the Youth Championships crown. “I’m so happy and proud of myself,” she said. “This is the time to make the Youth Africa Cup mine.”
Africa’s top-ranked youth player, Essid Wassim of Tunisia, capped off the tournament with a commanding 4-0 victory over Nigeria’s Muiz Adegoke in the U19 Boys’ Singles final. The win served as redemption for Essid, who had lost the Youth Championships final to Egypt’s Badr Mostafa. “I was sad about losing that final,” he admitted. “But I’ve taken my revenge now. I’m proud of myself and grateful to my family and all the people of Tunisia.”
The inaugural ITTF Africa Youth Cup featured 76 players, 45 boys and 31 girls, from 14 African nations, all vying for continental glory and valuable ITTF world ranking points. The event marked the conclusion of an electrifying three-week stretch of table tennis action in Lagos, following the ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, WTT Contender Lagos, and the ITTF Africa Youth Championships.
To wrap up the tournament, special awards were presented to Nigeria’s standout performers. Abdulfatai Abdulbasit and Ojo Favour were named the nation’s most outstanding male and female players of the Youth Cup. Favour, in particular, made a strong impression on her debut outing for the national team.
ATTF President Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi praised the high level of competition and the broader significance of the tournament. “It’s been hectic but fantastic table tennis,” he told ACLSports. “The standard keeps getting better, and more players now see table tennis as a real career. They know they can make money by playing well.”
Oshodi also reiterated the need for increased funding and infrastructural support, acknowledging the contributions of private sector partners and Lagos State’s commitment. “The National Sports Commission through the Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has promised a lot of support. Sports like table tennis count when you go to the Commonwealth Games and All Africa Games, we must fund them,” he said.
Looking ahead, Oshodi confirmed that Rwanda will host the upcoming Africa Senior Championships and stressed that the federation continues to seek more partners to expand the competitive calendar and give African players more exposure.
