Senegal kicks off Youth Games, Africa’s first ever Olympics

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games opened on Saturday in Dakar, Senegal, marking the first time an Olympic event has been held on African soil. Approximately 2,665 young athletes, aged 14 to 17, are competing in the event. The competition includes a refugee team and marks the return of Russian athletes to the Olympics.

The Games will feature 25 sports and 153 medal events, including athletics, beach wrestling, rugby sevens, and breaking. Competitions are being held across eight venues in three locations: Dakar, the suburb of Diamniadio, and the beach town of Saly. An opening ceremony held in Diamniadio on Saturday evening kicked off the event.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, a former Zimbabwean swimmer, spoke during a press conference in Dakar regarding the historical significance of the Games for the continent. According to Malay Mail, 136 Senegalese athletes are participating, supported by approximately 6,000 Senegalese volunteers.

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