Nigeria and Egypt continued with their long-running rivalry in African para table tennis as they won the bulk of the gold medals at the 2025 ITTF Africa Para Championships in Giza.
Following their outstanding performance at the Championships, Nigeria and Egypt have booked themselves a place at the 2026 World Championships in Bangkok.
This year’s competition gathered elite players from across the continent. Delegations from Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast filled the halls throughout the tournament, which doubled as a crucial qualifier for next year’s global event.
Nigeria finished with a slight lead after securing six gold medals. Egypt, lifted by a strong home crowd and an equally determined squad, claimed five. Ivory Coast had one of its brightest outings in recent years as Bayala Jean Pierre grabbed a spirited silver in the singles category.
Paralympics bronze medallist Ogunkunle Isau set the pace for Nigeria with a confident run in the Men’s Singles Classes 4 to 5. His teammates Adesope Abiola Wali, Farinloye Victor and Lawal Kehinde added more gold to the team’s record in their various singles classes.
Isau later returned to the tables to partner Oputa Kate, and the duo powered through to win the Mixed Doubles Class 10 title. Another highlight for Nigeria came from the pair of Adesope Abiola Wali and Kehinde, who topped the Mixed Doubles Classes 14-20.
Egypt’s push for the top spot was fuelled by a strong display in the singles. Ramadan Khaled overcame compatriot Elmahsy Ahmed in the Men’s Singles Classes 1 to 3, while Youssef Sayed outplayed Abdelmoneim Abousteit in the Men’s Singles Classes 6 to 7. Abdelwahab Abdelrahman and Mahmoud Faiza added two more victories in the women’s Classes 1 to 5.
The hosts also made their presence felt in the doubles. Sayed and Abdelrahman combined to take the Men’s Doubles MD18 crown after a tense 3 to 2 finish against Nigeria’s Adesope Abiola Wali and Agunbiade Tajudeen.
Tournament director Amr Fahmy expressed satisfaction with the overall standard of the event, noting that participation and competitiveness continue to rise each year.
“We are hopeful that future editions will attract even greater participation, which will further enhance the growth and stature of this championship,” Fahmy said.
By the end of the championship, eight athletes had already secured their qualification tickets to the Bangkok event. More slots will be confirmed in 2026 through continental rankings, giving additional African players a path to the world stage.
