Senegal hosts Africa’s first ever Youth Olympic Games

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games opened on Saturday with a ceremony in Dakar, marking the first time an Olympic event has been held on African soil. The Games feature approximately 2,665 young competitors aged 14 to 17 from around the world. According to Malay Mail, the event includes a refugee team and marks the return of Russian athletes to the Olympics.

The competition spans 25 sports and 153 medal events, with activities held across eight venues in three locations: Dakar, the suburb of Diamniadio, and the beach town of Saly. Malay Mail reports that 136 Senegalese athletes are participating and about 6,000 Senegalese volunteers are assisting with the event.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry expressed pride in the historical significance of the Games for the continent. France 24 notes that the event comes as Africa seeks a larger role in international sporting competitions.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Punch, RFI English, Punch Nigeria, Malay Mail — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.