The Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee has finalized its roster for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games, naming 136 athletes across 23 sports disciplines to compete under the Team Senegal banner. The selection, announced in Dakar, marks a major milestone for the country as it prepares to host the historic multi-sport event.
Team Senegal Finalizes 136-Athlete Roster for Dakar 2026
While the International Olympic Committee authorized Senegal to register up to 139 competitors for the Games, the local committee settled on a delegation of 136 athletes. Historically, the nation has operated on a much smaller scale at Olympic competitions, never previously fielding more than nine athletes at a single Games.
Rugby and Futsal Lead Delegation Numbers Across 23 Sports
Athletes selected for Team Senegal will compete in a diverse lineup of 23 sports, spanning team showcases and technical individual events. Rugby leads the delegation with 24 total representatives split evenly between 12 boys and 12 girls. Futsal follows with 20 athletes divided into squads of 10 boys and 10 girls, matching the 20-player breakdown seen in beach handball. Other sports featuring dedicated team entries include basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, and baseball5.
Individual and combat disciplines round out the massive host-nation entry list. Competitors are slated to contest events in fencing, swimming, taekwondo, wushu, dance, boxing, athletics, gymnastics, table tennis, judo, triathlon, badminton, and sailing.
Overseas Training Camps Shape Final Preparations
Preparation for the home Games has sent several national selections abroad for high-level training blocks. Multiple sports federations dispatched their youth athletes to China for intensive training camps ahead of the roster reveal. At the same time, the national wrestling selections remained stationed in Besançon, France, to complete their technical preparations for the beach wrestling and traditional disciplines.
Dakar Hosts Africa’s First Olympic Event
The Youth Olympic Games mark a historic milestone as the first Olympic competition ever hosted on the African continent. Organizers expect approximately 2,700 young athletes to descend upon the host city to contest more than 20 sports. With the roster now locked in, Team Senegal turns its focus toward the final months of conditioning before competition gets underway.
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