Uganda’s Jemimah Nakawala continued her remarkable giant-killing run at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana, producing one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by eliminating top seed Yara Elbadawy of Egypt 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the U-19 Girls’ Singles.
Sports247 reports that Nakawala delivered a composed and fearless performance against one of Africa’s most highly rated junior players, overcoming the Egyptian favourite to strengthen her credentials as a genuine title contender.
The victory marks another significant milestone in Nakawala’s inspiring campaign, having entered the competition as an outsider but now emerging as one of the standout performers in the women’s singles event.
By knocking out the tournament’s top seed, the Ugandan star has thrown the title race wide open and sent a strong message to the remaining contenders that she is capable of going all the way.
Nakawala’s reward is a quarter-final showdown against Nigeria’s Ayoola Kabirat, who secured her place in the last eight with a dominant 4-0 victory over Cameroon’s Koulaouinhi Lorenza.
The clash between Nakawala and Kabirat is expected to be one of the most anticipated matches of the quarter-finals, with both players aiming to continue their impressive runs and move a step closer to the continental title.
As the championship enters its decisive phase, Nakawala’s sensational victory has become one of the defining stories of the tournament, highlighting the increasing competitiveness of African youth table tennis and the emergence of new stars capable of challenging the continent’s established powers.
