Kenyan team wins gold medal in seven-a-side rugby at Youth Olympics in Dakar

Preparations for the first African Youth Olympic Games in Dakar are gaining momentum: the torch relay is traveling across Senegal, with a team of 6,000 volunteers and a national delegation of 136 young athletes helping to bring this event to life.

Work is underway throughout Dakar, including sports arenas, hotels, and the former French military base of Ker Ayo in Ouakam, which has become the preparation center for the Games. Here, volunteers are collecting uniforms and accreditation before heading out to welcome and assist athletes, officials, journalists, and spectators.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are scheduled from October 31 to November 13 and are expected to gather around 2,700 young athletes from 206 countries. The events will take place in Dakar, Diamniadio, and Salı.

Hospitality at the National Level

Mamadou Dianya Ndiaye, President of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSS), stated that the goal is to offer guests an experience based on the Teranga tradition—Senegalese hospitality. He emphasized that Senegal will offer not perfect, but authentic and warm Games, calling sport the 'universal language of the world.' Addressing arriving delegations, he added: 'You will not be our guests. You will be home.'

The Olympic flame has spread the spirit of the Games beyond the host cities. Lit in Athens on September 10 and arriving in Dakar on September 14, it traveled 3,600 km across 14 regions of Senegal, carried by about 450 torchbearers. This relay has made the Games a national celebration, reaching communities far from the capital.

The Senegalese delegation itself consists of 69 girls and 67 boys who will participate in 23 out of 25 sports in the program. The athletes received the national flag from President Bassir Diomaye Faye during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace on October 26. Faye urged them to demonstrate discipline, courage, and solidarity while representing their country. Ndiaye advised them to give their all, respect their opponents, and be proud of giving everything they have.

A Call for Fair Play

Two African Olympians also appealed to the young participants to incorporate the values of honesty and fair play both during and after the Games. Among the six 'Believe in Sport' ambassadors who will interact with athletes and their teams during Dakar 2026 are Malian basketball player Kadi Kanute Tunkara and South African athlete Khotso Mokoena.

Kanute Tunkara, who competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, stated: 'Protecting sport is a shared responsibility, and every athlete plays a role in maintaining fairness and respect.' She added that 'true victory cannot be bought, manipulated, or achieved through deceit. It comes through talent, dedication, and honest effort.'

Mokoena, a multiple Olympian and silver medalist in long jump at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, noted that respecting sport and fellow competitors can help young athletes build a long-term career. He stressed: 'Honesty is not just about how you compete, but what kind of athlete and person you become throughout the journey.'

Athletes and members of their support teams will be able to participate in interactive sportsmanship events at the Believe in Sport stand in the Athletes' Village 365.

The Work Behind the Reception

The organizing committee has identified 25 priority measures covering areas such as accommodation, transport, healthcare, and telecommunications. Airport facilities have also been enhanced to receive delegations. The Iba Mar Diop Stadium has been completed, and test runs have been conducted in sports such as athletics, taekwondo, and cycling. Organizers have also focused on developing the Olympic Village and roads, preparing the necessary venues and services for the Games.

Organizers selected Kenyan marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Brazilian skateboarder Raissu Leal as ambassadors, uniting two athletes from different generations and disciplines to inspire young participants. In addition to competitions, Senegal hopes the Games will benefit local communities, stimulate the economy, and encourage more youth to engage in sports.

For Ndiaye, hosting the Games marks a historic moment for the continent. He stated that Africa 'will enter the history of the Olympic Games through the grandest doors.'

The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar are intended to go down in history as the first sporting Olympic event held on African soil. Organizers expressed confidence in completing all preparatory work despite the four-year postponement of the event.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry announced on Thursday that the long-awaited event is ready to host around 2700 athletes aged 14 to 17, representing 204 National Olympic Committees. Senegal becomes the first African country to host an Olympic event, and the Games are scheduled to begin on Saturday and run until November 13.

The competitions, which were originally supposed to take place in 2022, were postponed by four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a press conference in Dakar after inspecting the sports venues and the athletes' village, Coventry shared her joy, noting that preparations have reached significant stages before the opening ceremony.

Coventry, a former swimming champion from Zimbabwe, became the first African woman elected to lead the IOC in 2025. Organizers also presented extensive security measures, including support from police from Spain and France, who gained experience during the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Kirsty Coventry expressed particular pride in the realization of the event, as she was part of the IOC when Dakar was selected as the host city. Humphrey Kayange, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games, noted that this event could have a long-term impact beyond the competitions themselves.

Despite multiple bids, Africa has not yet hosted the Summer Olympics. The prospect of hosting this event on the continent has regained attention after South Africa named Durban its candidate for the 2036 or 2040 Olympics on Thursday. Kayange suggested that the Games in Dakar could serve as a foundation for future sports development in Africa through investments in infrastructure, sports facilities, and human resources, expressing hope that the opportunities created will inspire further growth of sports on the continent.

The Indian team achieved a brilliant victory over Zimbabwe in the second women's ODI match, played in Vadodara on Sunday. India won by a margin of 121 runs.

The Indian team batted first and scored 328 runs, losing 6 wickets. In response, Zimbabwe managed to score only 207 runs. With this win, India gained an undisputed 2-0 advantage in the three-match series.

Harmanpreet Kaur demonstrated magnificent play, scoring 126 runs off 121 balls, including 15 fours. This innings marked her eighth century in ODI cricket. She took responsibility in difficult conditions and strengthened the Indian innings.

For her outstanding, decisive eighth century in ODI cricket, @ImHarmanpreet received the player of the match award.

Deepti Sharma also showed outstanding performance with the bat. She scored 106 runs without getting out off 86 balls, including 15 fours. The crucial partnership between Harmanpreet and Deepti scored 153 runs for the fifth wicket, which played a key role in India reaching a large total of 328 runs.

Opener Pratik Raval also performed brilliantly in the second consecutive match. Pratik, who scored a century in the previous match, earned 61 runs off 67 balls this time. Her innings provided a good start for India and created a solid foundation for the middle-order batters.

The Zimbabwe team, which came out aiming for 329 runs, could only manage 207 runs in 48.5 overs under the pressure of Indian bowlers. Thus, India won the match by a margin of 121 runs.

Vaishnavi Sharma and Deepti Sharma performed excellently with the ball. Vaishnavi took 4 wickets, conceding 39 runs in 10 overs, while Deepti secured 3 wickets, conceding 32 runs in 9 overs. Sayali Satghare, Jimtimani Kalita, and Shri Charni each took one wicket. Shafali Verma was unable to succeed.