Ghanaian table tennis prospect Joanita Borteye is preparing to take another major step in her international career after being named among the country's representatives for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Borteye will compete in the women's singles event in table tennis, joining a 13-member Team Ghana contingent selected to compete across eight sports at the global youth competition.
She will also serve as deputy team captain, adding a leadership responsibility to her role as one of Ghana's young athletes at the Games.
The appointment comes on the back of growing international exposure, including her participation in the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships in London, where she represented Ghana as part of the national women's team, the Black Loopers.
Competing at the global championship provided another valuable opportunity for the young player to test herself against international opposition.
She also recently featured at the 2026 ITTF African Championships in Tangier, Morocco, where she made an impressive run in the women's singles event.
Borteye recorded victories over Rwanda's Chantal Hirwa, Tunisia's Ela Saidi and Morocco's Nour Slamti during the group stage before defeating Madagascar's Edena Prevot 4–1 in the Round of 32 to advance to the Round of 16.
Her development has also benefited from international training opportunities. In December 2025, Borteye travelled to Chengdu, China, where she participated in the ITTF Global Youth Training Camp at the Chengdu National Key Table Tennis Training School from December 4 to 13.
She was integrated into the ITTF High Performance Programme for Young Talents, training under international coaches alongside promising young players from different countries and gaining exposure to advanced technical, tactical and physical training methods.
The 2026 edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be particularly significant, as Dakar becomes the first African city to host the event.
The table tennis competition is scheduled for October 31 to November 5, bringing together young players from across the world.
With experience gained from major international competitions and high-performance training, Borteye will be aiming to make the most of the opportunity in Dakar, both as a competitor and as a member of Team Ghana's leadership group.
Her participation adds to Ghana's representation at a landmark edition of the Youth Olympic Games, as the country's young athletes prepare to compete on a historic stage in Dakar.
