The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, has encouraged young athletes at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after visiting the table tennis competition venue in Diamniadio, Senegal.

Coventry, who is the first woman and first African to lead the IOC, interacted with players, officials and volunteers during her tour of the Games venues, which have brought together more than 2,000 young athletes from across the world.

The IOC president described the Youth Olympic Games as a celebration of Africa and its growing influence in global sport, while highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation of athletes.

One of the major highlights of her visit was her appearance at the Expo Centre in Diamniadio, where she watched table tennis matches and met several prominent figures in the sport.

She was accompanied by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Petra Sörling and other members of the world governing body’s executive team.

Also present were China’s Olympic champion Ding Ning, Chair of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Athletes’ Commission and liaison to the IOC Athletes’ Commission; Nigeria‘s Olufunke Oshonaike, a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the first African woman to compete at seven Olympic Games; Egypt‘s Dina Meshref, a Dakar 2026 Athlete Role Model; and seven-time Olympian Jean-Michel Saive.

Coventry takes to the table with young players

After watching the matches, Coventry joined some of the young players for a friendly rally, picking up a racket and taking part in the action.

She also shared experiences from her own Olympic career, offering the aspiring players an opportunity to learn from her journey and interact with one of the most influential figures in world sport.

Her engagement provided the young competitors with an opportunity to connect with an Olympic champion and gain insights into the dedication required to succeed at the highest level.

IOC president highlights Africa’s growing sporting influence

Coventry’s visit formed part of a wider tour of the Games venues, where she met athletes, officials and volunteers, inspected competition and training facilities, and received updates on sports including taekwondo and triathlon.

She described Dakar 2026 as a celebration of Africa and its growing role in global sport, reflecting the significance of hosting the first Youth Olympic Games on the continent.

The fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games is taking place in Dakar, Senegal, bringing together young athletes in a celebration of sporting excellence, cultural exchange and international friendship.

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Team Nigeria have endured a mixed start to the table tennis competition at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with Favour Ojo eliminated from the women’s singles event while Matthew Kuti remains in contention for a place in the knockout stage.

Ojo’s campaign ended after she suffered defeats in both of her opening group matches, losing 3-1 to Hanka Kodet of Czechia before falling by the same scoreline to Egypt‘s Yara Elbadawy.

Her disappointment continued in the mixed doubles event, where she partnered Kuti but failed to advance beyond the round of 16.

The Nigerian pair lost 3-1 to their Thai opponents, bringing their campaign in the event to an end.

Kuti keeps Team Nigeria in contention

While Ojo has exited the competition, Kuti remains in the hunt for qualification after recording one victory and one defeat in his opening two group matches.

The Nigerian began his campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Hong Kong’s Li Ki Ho, who dominated their encounter.

However, Kuti responded in his next match with a 3-1 victory over Tunisia‘s Youssef Aidli to register his first win of the competition.

The 18-year-old took control early, winning the opening two games 11-8 and 11-8. Aidli fought back to claim the third game 11-9, but Kuti regained his composure to close out the contest with an 11-7 victory in the fourth.

The result kept his hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive ahead of his final group fixture.

Trevisan test awaits Kuti

Kuti will face Italy’s Francesco Trevisan in his final group match, with qualification for the knockout rounds at stake.

Only the top two players in the group will advance, leaving the Nigerian with little room for error as he seeks to secure his place in the next stage.

His victory over Aidli offers encouragement ahead of the decisive encounter, although he will need another strong performance to progress.

Beach volleyball pair bounce back

Elsewhere, Nigeria‘s women’s beach volleyball duo of Pamela Bawa and Joy Lawrence responded to their opening defeat with a 2-0 victory over Egypt on Sunday.

The win provided a timely boost for Team Nigeria as the country’s athletes continued their respective campaigns in Senegal.

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Joanita Borteye has been appointed deputy captain of Team Ghana for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, following her impressive performances in youth table tennis.

The 2026 Africa Youth Championships gold medallist will support the Ghanaian contingent at the multi-sport event, scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 13.

In a statement issued on Monday, October 26, the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) confirmed Borteye’s appointment, alongside the selection of beach volleyball player Daniel Lartey as team captain and badminton player Obapomba Adu-Mintah as flag bearer.

Borteye earns leadership role after continental success

Borteye secured the deputy captaincy after recording notable results in recent competitions, including winning the Under-15 mixed doubles title at the 2026 ITTF-Africa Youth Championships in Accra.

She also recently competed at the ITTF Africa Championships in Tangier, Morocco, gaining further international experience ahead of the Youth Olympic Games.

Her appointment reflects the confidence placed in her ability to contribute beyond competition by supporting her teammates and promoting unity within the Ghanaian delegation.

Adu-Mintah named flag bearer

Badminton player Obapomba Adu-Mintah has been selected to carry Ghana’s national flag at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.

He will represent the country during the ceremonies marking the beginning and conclusion of the competition.

Meanwhile, beach volleyball player Daniel Lartey will lead the delegation as captain, with Borteye serving as his deputy.

The three athletes will take on key leadership responsibilities as Ghana’s young competitors prepare to represent their country on the international stage.

Ghana to compete in eight sports

According to the GOC, Ghana will participate in eight sporting disciplines: athletics, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, judo, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.

The country has selected 13 athletes for the competition, with the delegation comprising competitors aged between 13 and 17 who qualified through their respective international sporting pathways.

The Games will provide the athletes with an opportunity to compete against international opposition, gain valuable experience and contribute to the development of Ghanaian sport.

Dakar 2026 to make African sporting history

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games will mark a historic milestone, with Dakar becoming the first African city to host the event.

Scheduled for October 31 to November 13, the fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games is expected to attract approximately 2,700 athletes from more than 200 National Olympic Committees.

The programme will feature 25 sports, alongside 10 engagement sports designed to encourage participation and introduce young people to different sporting activities.

Ghana targets another Youth Olympic success

Ghana has participated in all three previous editions of the Youth Olympic Games, held in Singapore in 2010, Nanjing in 2014 and Buenos Aires in 2018.

The country’s most notable achievement came at the 2014 Games in Nanjing, China, where Martha Bissah won gold in the women’s 800 metres to become Ghana’s first Youth Olympic champion.

As the country prepares for Dakar 2026, the delegation will seek to build on that achievement while upholding the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

With Borteye, Adu-Mintah and Lartey taking on key leadership roles, Team Ghana will look to combine individual performances with collective effort as its young athletes prepare to compete at the historic African edition of the Games.

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