DAKAR, Senegal — Construction crews are working around the clock in Dakar as Senegal prepares to host the Youth Olympics, an event described as Africa’s first Olympic competition.
The Games are scheduled to run from October 31 to November 13 across Dakar and the nearby cities of Diamniadio and Saly. About 2,700 athletes aged between 15 and 18 are expected to compete in 35 sports.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday in Diamniadio, while venues across the three locations continue to be prepared for the competition.
Skateboarding makes its debut
Skateboarding will be introduced at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, bringing attention to a sport that has attracted a small group of young people in Senegal but remains at an early stage of development.
Sete Awad, a skater in Dakar, said the sport was not yet widely developed in the country but was growing.
“Actually, skateboarding isn’t very developed here, there aren’t many pros. But it is something that is currently growing here in Senegal. So, I think the Olympic Games will really be a big help to us,” Awad said.
Student Thomas Dieme said the event offered Senegal and the wider continent an opportunity to experience sports that have not previously received the same level of exposure.
“This is a first opportunity for Senegal and, by extension, for Africa, to discover new sports. It is the very first time that a major competition of this scale has come to Africa,” Dieme said.
Public anticipation
The event is also generating interest among Dakar residents. Rose Faye, a 30-year-old resident who previously lived in France, said she had not attended the Olympic Games while she was there.
“I never actually attended the Games while I was there. I had already left. Now, they are taking place in my home country, so I am very happy,” Faye said.
“That is why this is such a great opportunity,” she added.
The Youth Olympics are a smaller version of the Olympic Games designed for athletes aged 15 to 18. The event was first held in Singapore in 2010.
Dakar’s edition will feature Ayo, a young lion, as its mascot. With preparations continuing in the Senegalese capital and surrounding host locations, organizers are moving toward the start of the two-week competition.
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