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South Africa had to come from behind, but when the final point was played in Cairo, they were the ones celebrating. The Team Relay final against Algeria began with the home of African junior badminton witnessing a strong start from the Algerian side. Oussama Keddou defeated Aiden Dednam 11–3 in men’s singles before Chiraz Halimi…
For most of the semi-final, Algeria and Ghana were separated by little more than a few points. On Court 1 at the Cairo Stadium, the two teams kept pulling the momentum in different directions, with neither side able to settle into complete control. By the time the deciding sequence arrived, the difference between them had…
Mauritius started their semi-final with the kind of momentum that can make a team believe that a place in the next stage is within reach. South Africa, however, had come through the same demanding Team Relay journey and knew that a semi-final could change quickly. On Court 2 at the Cairo Stadium, the two teams…
On Court 4 in Cairo, there was very little separating Zimbabwe and Tunisia. From the opening match of their Team Relay tie, the two teams traded momentum, answered each other and repeatedly kept the difference within touching distance. By the end of the first sequence, just three points separated them. After the second, the difference…
There are days at a championship when the scoreboard tells only part of the story. For Mauritius, Monday in Cairo was one of those days. The defending champions had already experienced an unusual beginning to their campaign after their earlier Group C tie against Senegal ended in a walkover, leaving the Mauritian juniors waiting for…
Some matches are decided by a comfortable margin. Others seem to move one point at a time, with neither team able to create enough distance to feel safe. The Team Relay quarter-final between Ghana and Egypt in Cairo belonged firmly to the second category, as both teams spent the opening stages trading points in a…
The hardest part of the Team Relay may not always be the match itself. Sometimes, it is what comes immediately afterwards. There is barely any time to switch off. A player can finish one match, pick up a drink and begin preparing for another. A doubles partner can change. The discipline can change. The responsibility…
There is something different about beginning a championship on home soil. For Egypt’s young players, the first Team Relay match of the All Africa Junior Championships 2026 was not just another fixture. Cairo Stadium was their home venue, and the opening against Tunisia gave them the chance to begin their continental campaign in front of…
The waiting was over. After months of preparation, selection and anticipation, the young badminton players from across Africa finally walked into Cairo Stadium knowing that there was nowhere left to hide behind preparation. The All Africa Junior Championships 2026 had begun, and the first day of the Team Relay brought the players their first real…
There is always a moment at a championship when the waiting finally comes to an end. The players have trained for months. The coaches have prepared their teams. The bags are packed and the flags are ready. But until the draw is made, no one knows exactly what lies ahead. For the young athletes arriving…
