The Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) has named six junior athletes who will represent the country at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, scheduled for October 31 to November 13.
TOC Vice President Nasra Juma Muhammed said the athletes will compete in athletics, swimming and judo, with preparations expected to intensify ahead of the Games.
Muhammed, who will also serve as Tanzania’s chef de mission in Dakar, said the committee would meet with other stakeholders to map out preparations for the national team.
The swimmers selected are Felicia De Mello, Dennis Dillip, Kaysan Kachra and Zack Okumu. They will be accompanied by coaches and officials, including John Belela, Samson Bayo, Marcelina Gwandu and Juma Ashraf.
“We will send six junior athletes to the coming Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal. The athletes will join camp once preparations start, and we hope our juniors will perform well at the Games,” Muhammed said.
She said the Youth Olympic Games are aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent that could form the foundation of future national teams.
The Youth Olympics were first held in Singapore in 2010, when Tanzania was represented by Mwita Marwa, Neema Sulle and Marrium Foum.
At the 2014 Games in Nanjing, China, Tanzania was represented by Joseph Chui and Dorcas Ilande, while Regina Mpigachai and Francis Dames represented the country at the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The 2022 edition was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and has subsequently been rescheduled for Dakar this year.
Dakar 2026 will mark the first time an African country hosts an Olympic-branded multisport event. The Games are designed to combine sport with education and culture while providing a platform for young athletes from around the world.
The competition will feature 247 events across 36 sports, with disciplines such as breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and karate included alongside the core programme.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dakar 2026 will introduce a revised competition format aimed at strengthening gender balance and reducing the number of athletes competing in each sport.
The Games will also feature Baseball5 and wushu as optional sports, further broadening opportunities for young athletes.
For Tanzania, the Games will provide another opportunity to expose its emerging athletes to international competition as the country seeks to build a stronger pipeline of talent for future Olympic and continental events.
