2026 Youth Olympic Games: Beach Volleyball Team Keeps Medal Hopes Alive, as Table Tennis Star, Kuti Records First Win
Nigeria’s beach volleyball pair, Pamela Bawa and Joy Lawrence, revived their medal hopes at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games with a convincing 2-0 victory over Egypt on Sunday.
The Nigerian duo bounced back from a 2-1 defeat to Japan, overcoming Egypt’s Marwa Mamdouh Salem Saleh and Karma Badawy 21-19, 21-11 to record their first win in the competition.
The victory keeps Bawa and Lawrence in contention as they seek to advance in the beach volleyball event.
In table tennis, Matthew Kuti recorded his first victory in Senegal, defeating Tunisia’s Youssef Aidli 3-1 in a men’s singles preliminary match. He had last his opening game 3-0 defeat to Hong Kong’s Ho Ki Li.
Kuti made a strong start in the second game, taking the first two sets 11-8, 11-8, before Aidli fought back to claim the third 11-9. The African Youth Cup champion responded with renewed determination, winning the fourth set 11-7 to seal the match.
Kuti is now one win away from securing a place in the round of 16. He will face Italy’s Francesco Travesan in his final group match, with a second victory set to strengthen his chances of progressing to the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Favour Ojo suffered a 3-1 defeat to Egypt’s Elbadawy Yara in the women’s singles. Ojo took the opening set 11-9 but lost the next three 9-11, 6-11, 9-11, bringing her singles campaign to an end.
The Nigerian contingent is poised for more battles as competition piles up this week at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
