Egypt retained both the men’s and women’s team titles at the 2026 ITTF Africa Championships in Tangier, Morocco, extending its dominance of African table tennis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the International Table Tennis Africa confirmed the Egyptian triumph on Wednesday.
The Egyptian women’s team defeated Tunisia 3-0 in the final at the Olympic Arena, completing a flawless campaign without dropping a match.
The victorious team comprised Dina Meshref, Hana Goda, Mariam Alhodaby, Farida Badawy and Hend Fathy.
Egypt won every match 3-0, from the group stage to the final, extending its unbeaten run in the women’s team event.
The victory marked Egypt’s 10th consecutive title, continuing an unbeaten streak that began at the 2012 championships in Cairo.
Egypt’s men, however, faced a tougher challenge against Algeria in a thrilling final before securing a 3-2 victory to retain their title.
The Egyptian team featured Youssef Abdelaziz, Omar Assar and Mohamed El-Beiali, while Algeria fielded Stéphane Ouaiche, Maheidine Bella and Sami Kherouf.
Algeria took the early lead when Bella defeated Abdelaziz 3-2, handing Egypt its first defeat of the tournament.
Assar responded with a convincing 3-0 victory over Ouaiche, restoring parity and bringing Egypt back into contention.
El-Beiali then edged Kherouf 3-2 in an entertaining encounter, giving Egypt a 2-1 lead in the tie.
Ouaiche subsequently defeated Abdelaziz 3-1, levelling the contest at 2-2 and forcing a decisive fifth match.
The fourth match produced some of the final’s finest moments, as the two left-handed players exchanged spectacular rallies in an intense contest.
With the title at stake, Assar faced Bella in the deciding match before a packed arena in Tangier.
The young Algerian pushed the experienced Egyptian to his limits in a fiercely contested encounter marked by impressive skill and determination.
The deciding game was particularly tense, with neither player willing to surrender an advantage.
Assar’s experience ultimately proved decisive as he won the final game 17-15, sealing a 3-2 victory for Egypt.
The triumph completed Egypt’s double in the men’s and women’s team events, reinforcing the country’s position as a dominant force in African table tennis.
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