Nigeria’s beach volleyball pair Joy Lawrence and Pamela Miyoum Bawa suffered a three-set defeat to Japan, while Matthew Kuti and Favour Ojo lost their table tennis mixed doubles encounter at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Saturday.
Lawrence and Bawa lost 2–1 to Japan’s Kato and Nakagawa. Kuti and Ojo were beaten 3–1 by Thailand in the mixed doubles competition.
The Nigerian beach volleyball players took one set from their Japanese opponents but could not secure the victory in their Pool D encounter at Saly.
Their group also includes Italy’s Margherita Coretti and Micol Lafuenti, alongside Egypt’s Karma Badawy and Marwa Mamdouh Salem Saleh.
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Nigeria’s meeting with Italy is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, according to the Italian Volleyball Federation. The Italian pair began their campaign with a 2–0 victory over Egypt, winning the sets 21–15 and 21–14.
That leaves Lawrence and Bawa with further group-stage opportunities as they continue their campaign.
In table tennis, Kuti and Ojo’s reported defeat came as mixed doubles opened the programme at the Dakar Expo Centre in Diamniadio.
Both Nigerian players are also entered in the singles competitions. The International Table Tennis Federation has confirmed that the mixed doubles partnerships comprise athletes who will compete individually, giving the pair separate opportunities beyond their doubles campaign.
The table tennis programme runs from October 31 to November 5, with titles available in boys’ singles, girls’ singles and mixed doubles.
Nigeria’s contingent comprises 19 athletes—12 female and seven male—across athletics, boxing, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and beach volleyball.
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