The Dakar Youth Olympic Games are set to make history as the first Olympic sporting event hosted on African soil, with organisers expressing confidence that preparations are complete despite a four-year delay.
Senegal becomes the first African country to host an Olympic event. The Games are scheduled to open on Saturday and run until 13 November 2026.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said on Thursday that the event was ready to welcome nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 from 204 National Olympic Committees.
Originally planned for 2022, the competition was postponed by four years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Coventry said: “We are so happy. This has been a long time in the making.”
Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe, made history in 2025 when she became the first African elected to lead the IOC.
Organisers have outlined extensive security arrangements, including support from Spanish and French police officers who gained experience during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Humphrey Kayange, chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games, said the event could leave a lasting impact beyond the competition itself, through investments in infrastructure, sporting venues and human resources.
Africa has yet to host the Summer Olympic Games, despite several bids over the years. South Africa named Durban on Thursday as its candidate city for the 2036 or 2040 Olympics.
The featured image is illustrative only and is not a photograph of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
Source: CGTN Africa
