Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games: Seven African nations already victorious, first medals on November 1st

Seven African nations had already won at least one match at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games as of 9:00 PM GMT on Saturday, October 31, 2026: Sierra Leone, Senegal, Kenya, Tunisia, Algeria, Mozambique, and Egypt. According to Sport News Africa, 51 matches had been played by that time, with beach volleyball, table tennis, and baseball5 opening the competition even before Saturday evening's opening ceremony.

Sierra Leone without dropping a set

On the West Beach of Saly, the Sierra Leonean men's pair defeated Namibia 2-0 at 8:30 AM, then Morocco 2-0 at 1:30 PM, without dropping a single set. One of its two players, Sulaiman Bangura, was his country's flag bearer at the evening ceremony. Senegal won twice, with its women's pair against Cape Verde and its men's pair against Palau. The Mozambican women dominated Guam 2-1.

"A medal is the minimum"

At the Tour de l'Œuf complex in Dakar, Kenya secured the very first African success of these Games on Friday, October 30, by beating France 2-1 in baseball5, before brushing aside Mexico 2-0 on Saturday. "For us, a medal is the minimum," said their coach, as quoted by Sport News Africa. Senegal, defeated by Chinese Taipei and then by Cuba, plays its final group match on Sunday, November 1, at 4:30 PM against Türkiye. The final is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

A round cleared in table tennis

At the Dakar Expo Center, Tunisian Youssef Aidli and his partner Ela Saidi beat Uganda 3-0 in mixed doubles before falling to Japan. Algerians Aylan Goudjil and Tania Morice saw off Ecuador 3-1 before losing to Venezuela. Senegalese players Amador Ferrer and Marième Diallo, the first to compete at 10:00 AM, were beaten 3-0 by Egyptians Abdelmalik Elsayed and Yara Elbadawy. "We are very proud to wear our nation's colors," reacted Marième Diallo.

945 medals until November 13

These Games, the first to be organized on African soil, bring together 2,655 athletes aged 14 to 17 from 204 national Olympic committees, in addition to a team of young refugees, according to the International Olympic Committee. Twenty-five sports are on the program, featuring 153 medal events and 945 medals, including 7 mixed events, a first for the Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The first medals will be awarded on Sunday, November 1, starting at 3:00 PM GMT, in the 200m backstroke swimming event, while ten additional sports begin their competition. The closing ceremony is set for Friday, November 13, at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.