Ghana’s Israel Aklie and Joanita Borteye have made history by winning the country’s first African table tennis gold medal in 39 years at the ongoing 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships in Accra.
The Ghanaian pair defeated Tunisia’s Amori Amine and Ela Saidi 3-0 in the U-15 Mixed Doubles final at the Borteyman Sports Complex on Sunday, July 26, handing Ghana its first gold medal of the championship and its first continental table tennis title since 1987.
Aklie and Borteye booked their place in the final after a hard-fought semifinal victory over Egypt. After taking the opening game 11-4, they dropped the next two before bouncing back to win the fourth and fifth games 11-8, 11-8 to seal a place in the title decider.
Coached by Robert Amartey, the Ghanaian duo produced another composed performance in the final, edging the opening two games 12-10 before wrapping up the contest with an 11-6 victory to spark jubilant celebrations from the home supporters.
The triumph ends Ghana’s 39-year wait for an African table tennis gold medal, with the country’s last continental title coming at the 1987 All-Africa Games in Nairobi, where Patricia Offei and Patience Opokuah won the women’s doubles event.
Head coach Robert Amartey hailed the achievement, describing it as the reward for months of hard work and determination.
“Our objective coming into this championship was to win as many gold medals as possible for Ghana. Tunisia were a difficult opponent, but the players remained focused, executed the game plan perfectly and have now made history,” he said.
Amartey also thanked the Ghana Table Tennis Association, the technical team and supporters for their unwavering backing throughout the competition.
Borteye said the pair were determined to fulfil the promise they made to win gold for Ghana.
“We promised our president and the fans that we would fight for gold, and we are happy we have fulfilled that promise. Every match was difficult, but we believed in ourselves and never gave up,” she said.
She added that the pair remain determined to build on their success and win more medals for Ghana in future international competitions.
The victory not only secured Ghana’s first gold medal at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships but also signalled the emergence of a new generation capable of restoring the country’s status among Africa’s table tennis powerhouses.
