Lin Yilei of China captured the first wushu gold medal in Olympic history by winning the men’s changquan all-around final at the 2026 Dakar Summer Youth Olympic Games, where the Chinese youth delegation has collected medals across multiple sports, Sohu reported.
The victory came as wushu made its debut as an official competition event in the Olympic series. In the final, Lin delivered a fluid, stable routine with full completion quality, according to the report. The Chinese youth team has won gold and silver in recent days, making continuous breakthroughs in wushu, swimming, rowing and judo.
Lin Yilei, 15, from Ruian, won the men’s changquan combined at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, securing the first wushu gold for China as the sport made its debut as an official medal event. @IWUFOfficial @jojdakar2026 pic.twitter.com/UUfc6U1slP
Zheng Jutian: Wushu’s Olympic Debut Realizes Generations of Work
Lin’s coach, Zheng Jutian, said the inclusion of wushu in the Olympic program fulfilled a long-held dream backed by the labor of successive generations of wushu practitioners.
“Wushu entering the Olympic Games for the first time has realized our dream, behind which lies the effort of generation after generation of wushu workers,” Zheng said, according to Sohu.
China's Lin Yilei ascends himself as wushu's first Youth Olympic champion, taking gold here at Dakar in the boys' combined Changquan after finishing with a total score of 18.796. 🥇 🇨🇳 Lin Yilei 🥈 🇮🇩 Asael Christo Jacob Rondonuwu 🥉 🇮🇷 Arash Pahali#Dakar2026 #ComeAndPlay pic.twitter.com/bEgdVOQ0aW
Lin framed the sport as more than competition. He said wushu can serve as a bridge connecting young people from different countries and regions, letting the world see the wisdom of the East, and expressed hope that the Youth Olympic platform would transmit the spirit of harmony contained in wushu to young people around the world.
Dakar Hosts Africa’s First Olympic-Series Event
The Dakar Games carry added significance as the first Olympic-series event held on the African continent, creating a venue for young people from China and Africa to meet and hold dialogue, Sohu reported.
Chinese athlete Lin Yilei claimed the gold medal in men's changquan combined at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games on Tuesday, securing the first-ever wushu gold medal in YOG history. pic.twitter.com/BZGnJvbLUF
Liu Chuandong, a 30-year-old Chinese torchbearer, described the feeling of running with the flame in Dakar several days earlier. Young people from different countries build connections while running and communicating side by side, he said, adding that regardless of skin color or national boundaries, young people can always find resonance in shared passions.
Liu Chuandong Carries Torch from Livestream Studio to Olympic Track
Born in Dazhou, Sichuan Province, and raised in Shanwei, Guangdong Province, Liu works as a jewelry livestreaming professional. The Dakar 2026 organizing committee approved him as a torchbearer. He believes that with hard work, ordinary things can be made extraordinary. Moving from a small livestream studio to the Olympic torch relay track, he told foreign friends about the craftsmanship and industry behind jewelry, transmitting the beauty of Chinese culture.
History in the making in Dakar! For the first time ever, wushu has featured as a medal sport at the Youth Olympic Games, with all four gold medals decided on November 3 at the Dakar Expo Center. China's 15-year-old Lin Yilei won the first wushu gold in an Olympic event with… pic.twitter.com/Odzq88olGo
Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye Calls Dakar a Stage for Life
The Youth Olympic Games serve not only as a stepping stone for emerging athletes toward the senior Olympics but also as a platform for young people from various countries to display their talents and enhance mutual understanding, according to the report.
Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, chairman of the Dakar 2026 organizing committee, said that young people gathering together is wonderful — they get to know each other, exchange contact information and spend time together. In his view, the Games are not a battlefield of win-or-lose but a stage for victory and life.
During the event, the Youth Olympic sports interactive experience zone on Corniche Ouest, the coastal boulevard in western Dakar, attracted many young people. There, visitors engage with different sports through interactive and experience activities and feel the charm of the Olympics, Sohu reported.
Torch Relay Carries Connections Across Borders
Liu said the torch relay carries not just the flame but also the communication and resonance between young people across national borders. He told reporters he will continue dedicating himself to public welfare work, staying true to his heart and keeping his feet on the ground.
Earlier coverage: Lin Yilei Wins First-Ever Olympic Wushu Gold Medal at Dakar Youth Olympics
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