Colombian table tennis player Emanuel Otalvaro won the men’s singles silver medal at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games on Nov. 5, 2026. The 16-year-old became the first Colombian to reach a Youth Olympic table tennis podium, a major achievement for a country with limited tradition in the sport.
Otalvaro lost 4-2 to Japan’s Ryuusei Kawakami in the gold medal match at the Dakar Expo Centre in Senegal. Kawakami entered the final as the world’s top-ranked under-17 player, while the Colombian arrived as the second-ranked player in that age category.
Otalvaro was the only non-Asian medalist across the men’s and women’s singles competitions at Dakar 2026, a remarkable achievement in a sport traditionally dominated by Asian players.
A strong run to the final
Otalvaro beat some of the world’s best young players on his way to the final. He won all three group-stage matches without dropping a game, defeating Costa Rica’s Lucca Lobo, France’s Noah Vitel and Peru’s Samuel Duffoo.
In the knockout rounds, he beat Spain’s Ladimir Mayorov 4-0 in the round of 16 and China’s Li Hechen, the tournament’s sixth seed, 4-1 in the quarterfinals. He reached the final by defeating Hong Kong’s Li Ki Ho in the semifinals. Before the final, he had dropped only two games in the tournament.
The final was a tougher test. Kawakami won the first three games, but Otalvaro fought back to take the next two and force a sixth game. The Japanese player eventually regained control to secure the 4-2 victory.
Colombia had never previously won a table tennis medal at the Youth Olympic Games. Otalvaro’s silver therefore established a new milestone for the country in the sport.
The family effort behind his career
Otalvaro’s rise also reflects years of sacrifice by his family, who helped pay for his development and international competitions. He was born on July 14, 2010, in the rural community of Las Cuchillas, in Rionegro, Antioquia. He discovered table tennis while accompanying his older brother, Federico, to training sessions. He also tried football and swimming, but table tennis held his attention. His parents, Yolanda Garcia and Ricardo Antonio Otalvaro, built him a wooden platform so he could reach the table when he was too small to play comfortably.
As his talent became clear, the family took on the financial challenge of supporting his ambitions. His mother sold tamales, arepas, sweets, and other products, while the family organized raffles and fundraising activities to cover training and travel expenses.
In a 2023 interview with El Colombiano, Yolanda said she needed to raise about 6.2 million Colombian pesos (US$1,500) a month to support her two sons, both of whom were pursuing table tennis abroad. She explained that she had approached public and private organizations but received little positive response.
At the time, Emanuel received a monthly contribution of 300,000 pesos (about US$73) from Indeportes Antioquia for food, along with a subsidy from private company Avinal. His parents covered the remaining expenses, which placed a considerable financial burden on the family.
That effort helped Emanuel continue his development outside Colombia, where he could train and compete regularly against international opponents.
From Rionegro to the international circuit
In 2020, at age 10, Otalvaro left home to continue his development in Europe. He initially moved to Spain before settling in Mirandela, Portugal, where he trains under coach Camilo Giraldo. The move exposed him to a more demanding competitive environment and helped him progress through the international youth circuit.
In 2024, he won silver in the boys’ under-15 doubles at the World Youth Championships and bronze medals at WTT Youth Contender tournaments in Slovenia and Thailand. He also won an under-19 title in Cuenca, Ecuador. In 2025, he added an international youth circuit title in South Korea and a silver medal at the Ayacucho-Lima Bolivarian Games.
His progress continued in 2026. Before traveling to Dakar, he won silver in the under-19 category at the Youth Smash in Singapore and bronze in men’s singles at the ITTF Americas Championships in Lima. At the latter competition, he defeated American Kanak Jha, then ranked 24th in the world, and Mexico’s Rogelio Castro before reaching the semifinals.
The Pan American bronze was particularly significant because it came in his first appearance at the senior continental championship, where he competed against players with considerably more experience.
He also won bronze at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, adding another senior-level achievement to his record.
Next stop: Los Angeles 2028
Otalvaro already has his sights set on the senior Olympics. He aims to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and become the first Colombian man to compete in Olympic table tennis.
Speaking after the Dakar final, he described his dream as reaching the Olympic Games and becoming an Olympic champion. Los Angeles 2028 represents his next opportunity to pursue that goal, although he still needs to secure qualification.
Colombian women have already competed in Olympic table tennis: Paula Medina at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and Lady Ruano at Rio 2016. No Colombian man has yet represented the country in the sport at the senior Olympic Games.
Otalvaro will be 18 when the Los Angeles Games take place. His Youth Olympic silver, international junior results, and recent victories over established senior players give him a foundation for pursuing that ambition, but qualification remains ahead of him.
At 16, he has already taken Colombian table tennis into uncharted territory. His next challenge is to secure qualification for the senior Olympic Games.