Tunisian Olympic Delegation Reworks Squads Ahead of Dakar 2026 Opening
Tunisia’s Youth Olympic delegation has dropped to 66 total members after late roster adjustments in beach volleyball and beach handball, the Tunisian National Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday. The squad will feature 42 athletes competing across 16 disciplines when the competition opens in the Senegalese capital.
The committee confirmed that Ele Fehri steps into the beach volleyball lineup in place of Isra Bouaziz. Meanwhile, beach handball sees a double change as Jalloul Mohamed Chadhli and Youssef Souilem replace Youssef Bousseta and Bassam Marghli.
First Contingent Departs for Senegal
The first wave of athletes departs for Dakar on Thursday, carrying competitors from judo, rowing, swimming, table tennis, beach volleyball, and wushu kung-fu.
For the first time in Olympic history, the Games are heading to Africa, with Senegal set to host the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry arrived in Senegal ahead of the event, where she was welcomed by local volunteers.… pic.twitter.com/4TRxFwcnqO
The Youth Olympic Games run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13. The wider event brings together roughly 2,700 athletes aged 17 and under to contest nearly 20 sports. This edition marks a historic milestone as the first Olympic event hosted on the African continent since the Games were established in 2010.
Flag Bearers and Full Roster Confirmations
Ranim Ben Slimane of judo and Youssef Aïdli of table tennis will carry the national flag during the opening ceremony. The complete roster spans 16 sports, led by a 10-player beach handball team and six track and field athletes.
The sailing squad features Rayan Briki and Farida Ssethem. Taekwondo brings Adem Djebi, Adam Hasnaoui, Astabrak Mirawi, and Yasmine Houani. Beach rowing relies on Iyed Zantour and Sara Amari, while Youssef Slama enters the triathlon. Gymnastics features Dina Safdi and Taha Khalil Kmiti, alongside judoka Ranim Ben Slimane and cyclist Youssef Chehibi.
Archery sends Ritaj Chaïeb and Mohamed Hedi Ben Hamed. The swimming group includes Ilaf Amri, Mohamed Yassine Ben Ajmia, Youssef Douma, and Ilaf Zouaghi. Beach volleyball pairs Ele Fehri with Lamis Louraïsi. Mohamed Hedi Ghanja contests fencing, Alma Zaara fights in boxing, and Zeineb Menai represents wushu kung-fu alongside table tennis players ElE Saïdi and Youssef Aïdli.
The large beach handball squad includes Ahmed Khelifi, Ahmed Yassine Taboubi, Anas Farjani, Youssef Souilem, Hamza Zakhama, Seif Eddine Amri, Firas Othmane, Yassine Zammiti, Yahia Makhlouf, and Jalloul Mohamed Chadhli. Finally, the athletics team features Qatr Ennada Jawad, Ayhem Sayahi, Mohamed Amine Mejri, Nesrine Youssefi, Wassim Ouedrni, and Rim Slimi.
Competition Schedule and Arrival Timeline
With the opening contingent boarding flights on Thursday, athletes enter the Dakar venues ahead of the opening ceremony. Competition spans two weeks before concluding on Nov. 13.
