Japan consolidated its first-place position at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after five days of competition, adding two gold medals in swimming and table tennis, SenePlus reported. The delegation now holds 14 medals overall: eight gold, two silver and four bronze.
A total of 165 medals โ 53 gold and 51 silver among them โ had been awarded across the Games’ first five days, according to the report.
Mana Ishikawa and Ryusei Kawakami deliver Japan’s latest golds
The Japanese breakthroughs came in the pool and at the table. Mana Ishikawa won the women’s 50-meter breaststroke, while Ryusei Kawakami took the boys’ singles title in table tennis.
China sits second in the overall standings with 12 medals โ seven gold, three silver and two bronze โ after adding two titles of its own: the men’s 50-meter breaststroke in swimming and the women’s street event in skateboarding.
Russia third, Egypt leads Africa in fourth
Russia completes the podium with five medals, three of them gold and two silver. Egypt remains the leading African nation at the Games, ranked fourth overall with four medals: three gold and one bronze.
Host nation Senegal, competing at the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games, stands 56th with a single bronze medal, won by Matar Diop in judo in the under-66 kg category.
Romania, Greece and Portugal also strike gold in the pool
Romania’s Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu won the women’s 50-meter backstroke, while Greece and Portugal each recorded victories in the men’s events.
In table tennis, Chinese Taipei’s Minhsin Chen won the girls’ singles title to complement Kawakami’s boys’ crown.
Six gold medals on offer Friday across five venues
Competition continues Friday with six more gold medals at stake. The program includes the debut of 3×3 basketball and swimming at the Tour de l’ลuf complex, archery at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, triathlon at Saly’s western beach, and show jumping in Diamaniadio.
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