Joseph Sebatindira defends ITTF World Hopes title in Sheffield

Joseph Sebatindira of Uganda successfully defended his title at the ITTF World Hopes Week and Challenge 2026 in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Competing in the under-12 boys’ category, Sebatindira defeated New Zealand’s Lucas Alexandre 3-1 in the final, with set scores of 11-8, 6-11, 11-4, and 12-10.

Throughout the tournament, Sebatindira demonstrated significant dominance, losing only six games across 17 matches. His path to the championship included several 4-0 victories against competitors from Mexico, Colombia, England, Belgium, Egypt, Romania, Ireland, Qatar, Peru, Spain, France, Thailand, India, and Chile.

In the girls’ division, Wan Suan Yong claimed the championship title. The event, hosted at the Elite Training Centre, featured 34 of the world’s top under-12 players. The week included five days of intensive training led by ITTF head coaches Eva Jeler and Nuria Castro, followed by a two-day round-robin challenge involving 273 total matches.