{
  "id": 18344487,
  "title": "From fleeing conflict-hit Congo to the Youth Olympics, teenager makes history with dad as coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/from-fleeing-conflict-hit-congo-to-the-youth-olympics-teenager-makes",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-05T17:42:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/olympics/2026/11/05/from-fleeing-conflict-hit-congo-to-the-youth-olympics-teenager-makes-history-with-dad-as-coach"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "DIAMNA, Senegal (AP) — Arno Yafunga, a 15-year-old judoka, fled conflict-ridden Congo with his family as a child. Now, competing with his father as coach, Arno is making history as part of the first refugee team to participate in the Youth Olympic Games. His father, Arnold, fled to Kenya in 2017 due to safety concerns. After joining a judo club in Kakuma refugee camp, Arno continued practicing the sport he loved. Now, Arno is one of six young athletes representing refugees at the Youth Games in Senegal, described as a \"historic moment\" by the UN refugee agency. Despite the challenges of living in a new country, Arno found solace in judo, which kept him away from trouble in Nairobi. In the boys' 55-kilogram division, Arno narrowly missed a bronze medal, with his teammates cheering him on. The Refugee Olympic Team, aiming to raise awareness about displacement and demonstrate Olympic inclusion, includes athletes from Kenya and Uganda in judo, taekwondo, and track and field. Florence Masumbe, another refugee athlete, hopes her participation inspires other refugee children with her talent and success. Arnold dreams of his son's journey continuing to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, spreading hope to other young refugees.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Youth Olympics: Tanvi Patri becomes first Indian woman to reach badminton semis",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/youth-olympics-tanvi-patri-becomes-first-indian-woman-to-reach",
        "published": "2026-11-04T16:07:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "What is the X-factor in Youth Olympics’ badminton finalist Tanvi Patri’s game?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/what-is-the-x-factor-in-youth-olympics-badminton-finalist-tanvi",
        "published": "2026-11-05T12:00:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}