Ghana’s mixed doubles pair of Israel Aklie and Joanita Borteye have won the Under-15 mixed doubles title at the ITTF-Africa Youth Championships in Accra, securing a memorable continental triumph on home soil.
Their victory ended Ghana’s 39-year wait for a gold medal at a major African table tennis event.
The Ghanaian duo capped off an impressive campaign by defeating Tunisia’s Amori Amine and Saidi Ela 3-0 in the final to claim gold in the event.
Aklie and Borteye had earlier produced a remarkable run to reach the final, overcoming strong opposition from across the continent. They began their campaign in the round of 32 with a commanding 3-0 victory over the South African pair of Salie Binyamin and Pillay Veya.
They continued their strong performance in the round of 16, overcoming Tunisia’s Sghaier Moemen and Cherif Ritej with a 3-1 win to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
In a thrilling quarter-final encounter, Aklie and Borteye showed great composure to edge out the Egyptian pairing of Sameh Asser and Elbadawy Nada, 3-2, sealing their qualification to the last four.
The victory also marked Ghana’s first win over Egypt in a competitive table tennis encounter in 35 years, making the achievement even more memorable.
In the semi-finals, the Ghanaian duo produced another outstanding performance to defeat Egypt’s Eyad Hussein and Zaki Malak 3-2, before completing their impressive run with a 3-0 victory over Tunisia’s Amori Amine and Saidi Ela in the final.
The victory marks a significant achievement for Ghana’s rising stars, with Aklie and Borteye emerging as continental champions in front of their home supporters at the Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra.
The pair was guided by coach Robert Amartey, whose technical direction contributed to their successful campaign throughout the championship.
