CAIRO — Egypt delivered a commanding statement at the 2026 African Table Tennis Cup in Benghazi, Libya, completing a flawless sweep of the men’s and women’s singles titles to reaffirm its continental supremacy and secure four qualification spots for the upcoming Table Tennis World Cup in Macau.
Omar Assar powered his way to the men’s crown with a ruthless 4–0 victory over Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa, while Hana Gouda continued her golden run by claiming the women’s title with an identical scoreline against compatriot Dina Meshref.
Assar in control
Assar set the tone from the opening rally, dictating play with authority and denying his opponent any chance of a comeback.
His straight-games victory reflected peak physical condition, tactical maturity, and the rare ability to seamlessly balance attacking aggression with defensive solidity.
The title further cements Assar’s status as one of Africa’s leading table tennis figures and provides a timely confidence boost ahead of major international assignments.
Gouda does it again
Gouda booked her place in the final after an intense semi-final clash against teammate Mariam Al-Hadheebi, winning 4–2 in a high-quality encounter. In the final, however, she was untouchable, dismantling Dina Meshref 4–0 to lift the trophy once more.
The triumph marked Gouda’s second consecutive Africa Cup title and the fourth of her career.
Her performance highlighted exceptional technical consistency and mental strength, hallmarks that have come to define her dominance on the African stage.
W. Cup qualification
Egypt’s dominant showing in Benghazi secured four confirmed places at the upcoming Table Tennis World Cup in Macau, China, translating continental success into global qualification.
The women’s competition saw complete Egyptian control, with national players occupying every position on the podium.
Dina Meshref claimed the silver medal, while Mariam Al-Hadheebi secured bronze after an impressive run that included a victory over Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello. Alongside champion Hana Gouda, the trio sealed their qualification for the World Cup.
On the men’s side, Omar Assar’s gold-medal performance confirmed his place at the global event, which is scheduled to take place next month.
Egypt was represented at the African Cup by Omar Assar, Youssef Abdelaziz, and Badr Mostafa in the men’s draw, with Hana Gouda, Dina Meshref, and Mariam Al-Hadheebi competing in the women’s events.
Youssef Abdelaziz is also expected to join the list of World Cup qualifiers in the coming weeks, based on his international ranking among the world’s top 50 players.
Official praise
Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi congratulated the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation, led by Ashraf Helmy, and the national team players following the historic achievement.
Speaking via video conference, Sobhi praised the team’s technical level, fighting spirit, and the comprehensive dominance displayed throughout the competition.
He also contacted Captain Amr Fahmy, federation board member and head of the Egyptian delegation, to commend the players for their outstanding performances and to reaffirm the ministry’s full support for national teams as part of Egypt’s broader strategy to strengthen its continental and international sporting presence.
Golden campaign
Egypt concluded the Africa Cup with a perfect record—two gold medals from two finals—confirming its unrivaled position in African table tennis.
For Gouda, the victory brought her fourth Africa Cup title and another World Cup appearance, while Meshref, despite finishing runner-up, maintained her record as the most decorated player in the tournament’s history with nine titles to her name.
With qualification secured and momentum firmly on their side, Egypt’s table tennis stars now turn their focus to the global stage, ready to carry their continental dominance into world competition.
