France Wins Nine Medals at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal

France secured three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.

The French rugby sevens squad captured gold, marking France’s first top-podium finish of the tournament. The 16- and 17-year-old players belong to training centers of major French clubs. Under the Senegalese sun, the team swept five matches with dominant margins, including a 58-0 semifinal victory against Canada.

“On est les meilleurs talents, normalement. On bosse tous ensemble grâce au coach. On finit champion olympique,” said Sacha Leroy, a gold medalist in rugby sevens.

“C’est ce qui se fait de mieux à notre âge, ce sont les meilleurs joueurs qui sont là, ce sont les meilleurs joueurs du monde, donc forcément on se prépare pour potentiellement dans le futur intégrer les équipes de France,” teammate Jules Vermeulen told.

Sixteen-year-old Mady Sow claimed a silver medal in badminton after advancing to the final. France had never previously won an Olympic medal in the sport at any level.

“J’ai beaucoup travaillé avec préparateur mental, préparateur physique, kiné, pour que mon corps et ma tête soient aptes à jouer à haut niveau,” Sow said.

Running from October 30 to November 13, 2026, the Dakar Games mark the first time the Youth Olympic Games are held on the African continent. The French delegation brought 69 athletes competing across 22 sports to Senegal.

As of recent standings updates, France sits seventh in the overall medal table with nine total medals—three gold, three silver, and three bronze. China leads the standings with 23 total medals, followed by Japan with 20 and Russia with 10.

Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, president of the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF), described the Youth Olympic Games as an ideal proving ground for developing athletes.

“Ici, ils prennent des repères. Ils se forment à l’olympisme. Ils alimentent aussi des rêves, des projections. Ils voient ce que c’est le très haut niveau de la pression,” Oudéa-Castéra stated.

French athletes have five days remaining to compete in disciplines including gymnastics, beach handball, and breakdance. Competition concludes on Friday, November 13, 2026.