Nigeria’s beach volleyball team storms quarter-finals after beating Thailand 21-16
By Tosin Omojola
Nigeria’s beach volleyball team advanced to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games quarter-finals after defeating Thailand 21-16, 21-13 in straight sets.
The victory, achieved under coach Super Kay, keeps Nigeria’s podium hopes alive as the duo prepares to face the remaining contenders.
In swimming, Kashope Obatoyinbo finished fourth in Heat 7 of the men’s 100m freestyle in 53.81 seconds, placing 29th overall among 73 competitors.
The 16-year-old will compete in the men’s 50m freestyle on Wednesday. Tobiloba Omolola Akinsanmi placed fifth in her women’s 100m freestyle heat in 1:03.33 and did not advance, but gained valuable international experience.
Nigeria’s table tennis campaign ended after Matthew Kuti and Favour Ojo were eliminated in their final preliminary-round matches. Ojo suffered her third defeat in a four-player group, while Kuti lost 0-3 to Italy’s Francesco Travesan despite having a chance to reach the knockout stage. Only the top two players in each group advanced. Algeria’s Tania Morice and Egypt’s Abdelmalk Elsayed remain Africa’s representatives in the competition.
The beach volleyball quarter-final qualification provides Nigeria’s main boost, while the swimmers’ performances contribute to the development of the country’s young athletes.
