Youth Olympic flame touches down in Senegal

Hundreds gathered in the capital to welcome the iconic Youth Olympic torch, which will make its way around the Senegal ahead of Dakar 2026, the first Olympiad held on African soil.

Officiating the event was Mr Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of Senegal, who was joined by Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and athletes and members of the nation’s sporting community.

“The goal is that it won’t just impact the youngsters coming here, but when they go home, they’ll talk about the values and the inspiration of the Games that is created within them,” IOC President Coventry said.

A procession of 100 Senegalese women —known as ‘lingeer’: a title for queens or royal women in Wolof— kicked off the flame’s journey in the capital, welcoming the flame in traditional boubous. The envoy represented students, intellectuals, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists and activists from different generations.

The procession was accompanied by several artistic performances during the torch handovers, which highlighted themes of passing on traditions, Senegalese culture and the place of women in society.

Some of the torchbearers emphasised the collective and symbolic dynamics of the march, conceived as a broader tribute to Senegalese and African women.

Coventry, a former swimmer who is Africa’s most decorated Olympian and the first female president of the IOC, emphasised what Dakar 2026 means to the continent. The Zimbabwean donned the traditional orange boubou and joined the women in their march on Saturday.

The flame’s tour will travel across all 14 regions of the country, with more than 30 stages planned before returning to Dakar on October 30, the eve of the Opening Ceremony.

The cauldron will be lit on October 31, officially marking the start of the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Dakar 2026 will feature 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports and is expected to welcome around 2,700 athletes aged up to 17. –Insidethegames

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