“We’ve worked hard to improve the sport across the continent, especially in the technical development of our young players,” he said.

“By developing coaches and technical officials, we’re strengthening the foundations of the sport across the continent.”

The ITTF Africa president also promised support for African teams that qualified for the World Youth Championships, saying financial constraints should not prevent them from competing.

“Working with the ITTF, we’ll help with travel and training costs. There’s no point qualifying if you can’t attend due to financial inadequacies,” Oshodi said.

He added that the continued improvement of young players across the continent was evidence that Africa’s long-term investment in youth development was beginning to yield results.