Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics close in Senegal, with China top of the gold table

Closing in Dakar

The Youth Olympic Games ended on Friday, 13 November, after two weeks of competition in Dakar, Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly. Organisers framed the event as Africa's first Olympic event and as proof that the continent can stage large international competitions. Nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 took part in 25 sports and 153 medal events. A closing ceremony at the Games village in Diamniadio, held on Friday evening, included the extinguishing of the flame.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a former Zimbabwean swimmer, said on Thursday that expectations had been surpassed.

“I think that everyone came here with certain expectations and I think those expectations have been far exceeded.”

Crowds cheered each time Senegalese or other African athletes scored, yet the Games also took place during a cost-of-living squeeze. Some Senegalese questioned the spending, and businesses displaced by preparations said their livelihoods had suffered. Authorities pointed to better infrastructure, training and opportunities for local companies as the lasting gains.

Medal table

China led the gold table with 18, ahead of Japan on 11 and Russia on 8. Egypt won six golds, while Ethiopia and Senegal each took five. A French tally put China's overall total at 33 medals, including those 18 golds. France finished 7th with 13 medals (4 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze), won none on the final day, and placed first among European nations.

China18

Japan11

Russia8

Egypt6

Ethiopia5

Senegal5

China

18 gold medals

Japan

11 gold medals

Russia

8 gold medals

Egypt

6 gold medals

Ethiopia

5 gold medals

Senegal

5 gold medals

Data from the article text

Le Monde reported that African athletes won 66 medals in total, a continental record, against 56 at the 2018 Buenos Aires Games. Five African countries placed in the top 10 of the standings.

Buenos Aires 201856

Dakar 202666

Buenos Aires 2018

56 medals

Dakar 2026

66 medals

Data from the article text

Romania finished 32nd of 99 countries that won medals, with two golds and two silvers, and swimmer Daria Silișteanu collected three medals, two of them gold. Belgium's chef de mission, Gert Van Looy, called the delegation's five medals, one of them gold, a successful edition, while citing heat of 38°C as a difficult condition.

Senegal's wrestling success

Beach wrestling made its Olympic debut at these Games and brought particular pride to Senegal, where wrestling is a national sport. Elisabeth Diatta, a 16-year-old female wrestler, won Senegal's first Olympic gold, and two more wrestling golds followed for the host nation. Senegal fielded 136 athletes. At Friday's thank-you ceremony, Coventry praised the Senegalese people for hosting the Games.

“You have shown the world what Senegal and Africa are capable of, and when people come together behind a shared dream, how strong that can make us.”

The Games also featured the first refugee team at the Youth Olympics, with six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda competing in athletics, judo and taekwondo. Russia's athletes competed under their own national flag, the first such appearance at an Olympic event since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine led to the country's suspension. Baseball5, a simplified form of baseball, and wushu, a Chinese martial art, made their Olympic debuts.

Next steps

South Africa, which hosted the 2010 men's soccer World Cup, is among countries in talks with the IOC about the 2036 Olympic Games. Coventry said Africa had shown what it could do and that the continent now had to choose to build on it.

“I think we've shown the world the capability that we have and now we need to choose to take that forward.”

The next Summer Youth Olympic Games are scheduled for 2030, and Chile, Paraguay and Thailand have confirmed their bids. The Games arrive as African countries use sport more and more as a tool for diplomacy and development.