Drums echoed across Diamniadio on Saturday night, and a continent watched. The Senegal Youth Olympics officially began, making this the first Olympic event ever held on African soil. The opening ceremony took place at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium near Dakar, where tens of thousands of fans packed in.
A Ceremony Full of African Pride
Hundreds of drummers and dancers filled the stadium under the motto “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” Performers in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese gowns formed a giant human map of Africa. West African oral storytelling, live performances by Senegalese singers and the athletes’ parade completed the show. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open.
Spectator Aby Diouf, 25, said it was important for her to be there, calling the event historic and a marvellous celebration.
Who Is Competing
Around 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 will compete until November 13 in Dakar, Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly. They will contest 153 medal events across 25 sports. For many young Africans, seeing athletes their own age on an Olympic stage makes the dream feel reachable.
One story stands out. Six refugee athletes, who hail from Kenya and Uganda, are participating in the Youth Olympics for the first time. The athletes compete in athletics, judo, and taekwondo. The inclusion of refugees in the games is proof that there is talent all around the world.
Years in the Making
The road here was long. Singapore hosted the first summer Youth Games in 2010. Dakar was supposed to host in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic pushed the event back. Now, after the wait, Senegal has the chance to prove what African hosts can deliver.
The Games also come on the back of efforts by the continent to get a larger stake in world sports. Should everything go smoothly in Dakar, it will serve as proof that more cities on the continent should be considered hosts of major sporting events. For now, the youth of Senegal are creating their history for Africa’s books.
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