The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games officially closed on November 13 in the Youth Olympic Village at Diamniadio, Senegal.
This event was the first Olympic competition held on the African continent, bringing together nearly 2,700 athletes across 25 different sports.
The Vietnamese delegation, consisting of 18 members including 10 athletes, departed the Games with two silver medals. At the closing ceremony, athletes Nguyen Truong Nhat Huy (taekwondo) and Dong Thi Huong (athletics)—both born in 2009—carried the national flag to mark the conclusion of their participation, according to Sport and Culture.
Vietnam secured its first medal of the Games on November 3 through martial artist Nguyen Khac Le Hoang. Competing in the men’s Tai Chi Taolu event, Le Hoang earned a score of 18.692, finishing just 0.028 points behind Poon Hao Ran of Hong Kong, China.
Four days later, swimmer Duong Van Hoang Quy added a second silver medal for the team in the men’s 200-meter butterfly. Hoang Quy, born in 2009, finished the final in 2 minutes and 00.32 seconds. The gold medal in that event went to Zain Ali of Egypt, who touched the wall in 1 minute and 57.88 seconds. The performance improved the Vietnamese swimmer's time by 5.29 seconds.
Beyond the two podium finishes, other members of the Vietnamese team gained international experience across seven sports, including badminton, cycling, wushu, and beach wrestling. Dong Thi Huong reached the women’s 400-meter semifinals, setting a personal record of 58.40 seconds.
In the final medal standings, Vietnam placed 65th out of 99 delegations that secured at least one medal. China topped the overall table with 18 gold medals, followed by Japan with 11 and Russia with 8. Host nation Senegal also achieved success, claiming 5 gold medals, notably in beach wrestling.
The closing ceremony featured appearances by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry and Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee President Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye. The event concluded with the lowering of the Olympic flag and a series of artistic performances highlighting Senegalese culture, including slam poetry, graffiti, and dance.
The official end of the Games was marked by the extinguishing of the Youth Olympic flame at the Place du Souvenir Africain. The event, which ran from October 31 through November 13, utilized venues across three regions: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
Earlier coverage: Vietnam Secures 2 Silver Medals at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games
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