Ayoola, Emelike To Represent Nigeria At ITTF U-12 World Hopes

Nigeria’s Umar Ayoola and Elizabeth Emelike have been selected for the ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge 2026, a major junior table tennis event scheduled for October 12 to 18 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, United Kingdom.

The tournament will bring together 36 of the world’s most talented U-12 players from 26 countries.

Jointly organised by the International Table Tennis Federation and Table Tennis England, the programme is the final stage of the ITTF’s talent identification pathway. It gives promising young players from across continents the chance to receive advanced training from elite coaches and compete against some of the best emerging talents in the sport.

Ayoola and Emelike earned their places in Sheffield after impressive performances at the Africa Hopes Week and Challenge held in Ghana. Their results made them among the continent’s top prospects and secured them a spot on the global stage.

According to the ITTF, participants were selected through their respective Continental Hopes programmes, with only the strongest performers advancing to the World Hopes Week & Challenge. The 2026 edition reflects the programme’s growing international reach, featuring players from established table tennis nations and emerging countries.

During the week-long event, players will take part in intensive technical training and a Challenge competition. However, assessments will go beyond match results, considering technical ability, attitude towards training and overall development potential.

The most outstanding performers will be selected for the Hopes Team, offering them a fast-track opportunity into the ITTF High Performance pathway.

Nigeria will be joined by other African representatives, including Egypt’s Zeina Farouk and Adam Lashin, Tunisia’s Ritej Charif and Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira.

Other young players will come from Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, France, India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Qatar, Romania, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and several other countries, highlighting the global nature of the event.

The ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge 2026 will combine high-level training, competitive action and cultural exchange.