European players continued to impress at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with Austria’s Nina SKERBINZ and Poland’s Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA advancing to the Women’s Singles quarterfinals following impressive victories in the Round of 16.
SKERBINZ produced one of the day’s most remarkable comebacks, recovering from a 1-3 deficit to defeat Antigua and Barbuda’s Stuti KASHYAP 4-3. The Austrian has enjoyed an impressive campaign in Dakar, having also recorded victories over Chinese Taipei’s CHEN Min-Hsin and Romania’s Andreea BAIASU. She will face Hong Kong, China’s SU Tsz Tung for a place in the semifinals.
Poland’s RAJKOWSKA also secured her place among the last eight, overcoming Korea Republic’s HEO Yerim.
The first table tennis medals of the Games were awarded in Mixed Doubles, where Japan’s Ryuusei KAWAKAMI and Miku MATSUSHIMA claimed gold with a 3-1 victory over Hong Kong, China’s LI Ki Ho and SU Tsz Tung. Chinese Taipei’s LIN Chin-Ting and CHEN Min-Hsin took bronze.
The competition also welcomed several table tennis legends, including Belgium’s seven-time Olympian Jean-Michel SAIVE, who joined IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and other distinguished guests at the Dakar Expo Centre.
The singles competition continues with the quarterfinals, while the remaining medals will be decided by Thursday, 5 November, when the table tennis events conclude.
