Africa’s Search for a First Olympic Table Tennis Medal Continues.
At both the Africa’s quest for its first Olympic table tennis medal remains unfulfilled following the elimination of all the continent’s representatives at the ongoing Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
At both the Youth Olympic Games and the senior Olympic Games, Africa’s best performances in table tennis have been quarter-final appearances.
Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo reached the last eight at the Youth Olympic Games, while Egypt’s Omar Assar and Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna achieved the same feat at the senior Olympic Games.
Assar remains the first and only African player to reach the Olympic quarter-finals on two consecutive occasions. Sixteen years after Onaolapo became the first African table tennis player to reach the quarter-finals of the singles event at the Youth Olympic Games, none of the 15 African representatives at Dakar 2026 were able to match or surpass the Nigerian’s historic achievement at Singapore 2010. Onaolapo topped his group to advance to the knockout stages before producing an impressive run to the quarter-finals, where he faced Japan’s Koki Niwa. Despite a spirited performance, the Nigerian lost 4-2 to bow out of the competition.
MSEApp News is publishing an original rewrite of this tip for readers, based on reporting associated with THISDAY.