Peru has named table tennis player Natzumi Valentina Aquije Condezo and swimmer Doménico Lorenzo Sotomayor Acuña as the official flag bearers for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. elcomercio.pe reported that the pair will lead the 15-athlete national delegation during the opening ceremony on October 31, 2026.
Fifteen Athletes Selected Across Eleven Disciplines for Senegal
The Peruvian delegation will feature 15 competitors spanning 11 sports at the youth event running from October 31 to November 13, 2026. According to the Comité Olímpico Peruano (COP), the team covers a wide range of individual disciplines designed to test the nation’s rising talent pool against roughly 2,700 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees.
During the official presentation ceremony, Aquije received the national flag directly from Óscar Fernández, president of the Instituto Peruano del Deporte (IPD). Sotomayor was absent from the event, so his mother, Patricia Acuña, accepted the bicolor on behalf of the swimmer. High-ranking sports officials attended the gathering, including COP president Renzo Manyari, secretary general María Martínez, and Vladimir Armenteros, head of mission for the delegation.
Institutional Stakes and the Road to Los Angeles 2028
COP president Renzo Manyari emphasized the broader developmental importance of the youth games during the team presentation. “We are going with the future of the homeland to an Olympic Games where the best athletes in the world go,” Manyari stated, according to elcomercio.pe. He added that the teenagers carry the weight of the country’s Olympic history as they prepare for subsequent milestones like the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Logistical backing for the journey comes via a partnership with Tiendas Ripley, which outfitted the Team Perú delegation in athletic apparel from the brand Head. This commercial support aims to secure stable preparation conditions for the country’s youth competitors throughout the upcoming Olympic cycle.
Complete Roster of the Peruvian Youth Delegation
The COP published the complete roster of 15 athletes set to travel to Senegal for the 25 official sports contested across the Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly zones:
Con Natzumi Aquije y Doménico Sotomayor como abanderados, Team Perú alista su participación en Dakar 2026https://t.co/UC9byiHzPX pic.twitter.com/20kp7ATdPb
- Athletics: Thiago Fernando Goyzueta Carnero and Rocío Andía Arotaipe
- Cycling: Haru Alejandra Quinto Marin
- Fencing: Astrid Bravo Ortega
- Judo: Yesús Emanuel Perea Vallve
- Wrestling: Stacy Estrella Rodriguez Tello
- Swimming: Doménico Lorenzo Sotomayor Acuña and Cielo Scarlet Moya Vargas
- Rowing: Teo Rubio Bernuy
- Skateboarding: Jacen Johan Yactayo Díaz
- Taekwondo: Ximena Haydee Zapata Peña
- Table Tennis: Natzumi Valentina Aquije Condezo and Samuel Andrés Duffoo Guevara
- Sailing: Salvador Rodrigo Tenorio Rubio and Paula Ledgard Wagner de Reyna
Historical Context at the Youth Olympic Games
Dakar 2026 represents the fourth summer edition of the Youth Olympic Games, returning to the international calendar after an eight-year absence following the postponement of the 2022 fixtures. Past iterations established notable benchmarks for Peruvian youth sports. At the Singapore 2010 Games, the girls’ youth volleyball team captured a bronze medal by defeating Japan under coach Natalia Málaga. Four years later in Nanjing 2014, the under-15 football team secured gold under manager Juan José Oré, while judoka Brillith Gamarra and sailor Jaira Brandes each earned bronze medals. In Buenos Aires 2018, judoka Noemí Huayhuameza added another bronze to the country’s count.
Senegal Competition Runs from October 31 to November 13
The formal competition window opens with the inaugural parade on October 31, 2026, in Senegal, running continuously through November 13, 2026.
Worth a look
