Fifteen-year-old Arnold Afunga stepped onto the judo mat in Dakar while his father, Arnold Afunga, watched from the sidelines as both parent and coach, marking the first time a refugee team athlete has competed at the Youth Olympic Games, news.cn reported.
The pair arrived at the Youth Olympic Games following a journey that began in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, after fleeing conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2017. Competing in the men’s 55-kilogram judo category, the younger Afunga advanced to the bronze medal match and finished in fifth place.
Journey From Kakuma Camp to the Dakar Youth Olympic Games
After the family settled in Kenya’s Kakuma camp, the father resumed training and eventually took on the coaching role for his son.
“He has tried his best. I believe this is a good beginning for his career,” Arnold Afunga said, according to international sports officials. The athlete noted that training with his father provided a distinct advantage because of their familiarity with each other’s styles.
The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar mark the first time the Olympic series has been hosted on the African continent. For the Afunga family, the tournament represented an opportunity realized after years of displacement.
Refugee Delegation Expands to Youth Competition
The International Olympic Committee first fielded a refugee team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games with a roster that included South Sudanese runner Yiech Pur Biel. A decade later, Pur Biel returned to lead the delegation as chef de mission for the six young athletes competing in Dakar.
The Dakar delegation consists of three female and three male athletes living in Africa, competing across athletics, judo, and taekwondo. Among them is 16-year-old team captain Clement Niyomwhoza, who began athletics training in 2024 and secured qualification for the Games.
“Some people think that because we are refugees, we have no talent or ability to participate in sports,” Niyomwhoza said. “We want to show everyone our capability. We want to prove that even as refugees, if you have a certain talent, you can still achieve something.”
Institutional Support and the Path Forward
Pur Biel stated that the foundation plans to continue supporting the young competitors as they target qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and subsequent events in Brisbane.
Whether Niyomwhoza, the younger Afunga, and their four teammates will secure funding renewals for the upcoming Olympic cycle remains unconfirmed by sports officials.
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