Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics open in Senegal

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on October 31, bringing the first Youth Olympics held on African soil to Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. The competition is scheduled to run through November 13. About 2,665 to 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 are expected to compete. The reported totals are approximate; the exact number is not established. Competitors will take part in 25 sports and 153 medal events, with events spread across eight venues in the three host locations. The programme combines sports such as athletics and swimming with events including beach wrestling, breaking and rugby sevens. Baseball5 and Wushu Taolu are making their Youth Olympic debuts. Ten additional engagement sports are being staged without medals, including golf, karate and surfing. Senegal has 136 athletes in the competition, and about 6,000 Senegalese volunteers are helping stage the Games, according to one report. A refugee team is also participating, with six athletes based in East Africa competing in athletics, judo and taekwondo. Russian athletes are competing under their national flag, a return to Olympic competition with national symbols after earlier Games in which they competed as...