Senegal Opens Africa’s First Olympic Event with Dakar 2026 Youth Games
Senegal made history on Saturday night when the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games officially opened, becoming the first Olympic event ever staged on African soil.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, about 30 kilometres from the capital.
The colourful ceremony featured more than 1,100 performers, dancers and musicians celebrating Senegalese and African culture under the motto “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” Tens of thousands of spectators filled the 55,000-seat venue.
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, a former Zimbabwean swimmer and the first African to lead the organisation, described the occasion as long-awaited.
“For years, we have been talking about this moment the first Olympic sporting event on African soil and now here we are. This historic moment is for Senegal, for Africa, for our entire Olympic movement, and to all of our young amazing athletes,” she said.
Around 2,650 to 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 from more than 200 National Olympic Committees will compete in 153 medal events across 25 sports until 13 November.
Competitions are taking place in Dakar, Diamniadio and the coastal resort of Saly.
The programme includes athletics, swimming, judo, rugby sevens, futsal, beach wrestling and debuts for wushu, baseball5 and skateboarding at the Youth Olympics.
The parade of nations began with Greece and the Refugee Olympic Team, competing at the Youth Games for the first time with six athletes based mainly in Kenya and Uganda and closed with host Senegal.
Flag-bearers for Senegal were beach wrestler Ndeye Khady Anna Diatta and taekwondo athlete Ibrahima Beye, both 17.
A Russian delegation of 13 athletes is competing under the national flag for the first time at an Olympic event since the country’s suspension following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Dakar was awarded the Games in 2018 for what was originally planned as the 2022 edition.
The event was postponed four years because of the COVID-19 pandemic to allow more sustainable preparation. Organisers have emphasised the use of existing and refurbished venues rather than large-scale new construction.
First medals are scheduled for Sunday, 1 November, beginning with swimming finals and judo. The Olympic flame will remain lit until the closing ceremony on the Corniche Ouest.
The Youth Olympic Games are smaller in scale than the senior Olympics but carry the Olympic rings and mark a significant milestone for the continent, which has produced many Olympic champions yet had never previously hosted an Olympic competition.
South Africa has expressed interest in bidding for a future senior Summer Games.
By Oyinkansola Shittu.
