Dakar 2026: Team Nigeria Celebrate Double Boost As Beach Volleyball Pair, Kuti Win

Nigeria’s beach volleyball pair, Pamela Bawa and Joy Lawrence, revived their medal hopes at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after defeating Egypt 2-0, while table tennis star Matthew Kuti recorded his first victory in the competition on Sunday.

Bawa and Lawrence bounced back from their opening 2-1 defeat to Japan, overcoming Egypt’s Marwa Mamdouh Salem Saleh and Karma Badawy 21-19, 21-11 to register their first win in the beach volleyball event.

The Nigerian duo showed improved coordination and determination to secure the straight-set victory, keeping their hopes of progressing in the competition alive.

In table tennis, Kuti also recovered from his opening-day setback to Hong Kong’s Ho Ki Li, defeating Tunisia’s Youssef Aidli 3-1 in the men’s singles preliminary stage.

The African Youth Cup champion made a strong start, winning the first two sets 11-8, 11-8, before Aidli fought back to take the third 11-9.

However, Kuti responded confidently in the fourth set, winning 11-7 to seal his first victory in Dakar.

The Nigerian teenager will now face Italy’s Francesco Travesan in his final group match, with victory expected to strengthen his chances of securing a place in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Favour Ojo suffered another setback in the women’s singles, losing 3-1 to Egypt’s Yara Elbadawy.

Ojo started brightly, taking the opening set 11-9, but the Egyptian recovered to claim the next three sets 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, ending the Nigerian’s singles campaign.

With Bawa and Lawrence back to winning ways and Kuti registering his first victory, Nigeria will look to build on the positive results as competition intensifies at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

The Games, which began on October 31, will run until November 13, with Nigeria represented by 19 athletes across six sports.