Senegal is set to make history as the first country in Africa to host an Olympic event.
The fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games will open on October 31 and run until November 13, with competitions spread across three host cities namely, Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
Organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Games will bring together about 2,700 athletes aged 17 and below from around 200 countries, competing in 25 sports and 153 medal events.
This is the first time the Olympic rings will be raised on African soil, a milestone that was delayed from 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Events will be held across eight venues, including Dakar’s Iba Mar Diop Stadium, the Dakar Arena and Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio — which will also host the opening ceremony and the Youth Olympic Village — and beach sports in Saly, about 80km from the capital.
Senegal will field 136 home athletes, while organisers have confirmed full gender parity and the inclusion of a Refugee Olympic Team for the first time.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, while welcoming the Olympic flame in Dakar on September 12, said Africa’s youth were watching with confidence and pride, noting that the flame later toured all 14 regions of the country.
Despite economic pressures, authorities say the Games represent an investment in infrastructure, skills development and positioning Dakar as a major sporting hub in West Africa.
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