By Yunus S. Saliu
The International Olympic Committee has named the first group of Athlete Role Models for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), marking a key milestone in preparations for the first Olympic event to be staged in Africa.
In a press release obtained on Monday, the IOC unveiled an initial list of 31 Athlete Role Models comprising Olympic champions, medallists and experienced Olympians from around the world. They are expected to mentor and inspire young competitors during the Games in Senegal.
Working in collaboration with International Federations, the IOC selected athletes from the 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports included in the Dakar 2026 programme.
The selected Athlete Role Models are: Clarisse Agbegnenou of France (judo), Stéphane Badji of Senegal (football), Christopher Bak of the United States (rowing), Asunción Batista of Spain (beach handball), Rémy Bedu of France (golf), Yves Bourhis of Senegal (canoe slalom), Jean-Pierre Bourhis of Senegal (canoe slalom), Darcy Bourne of Great Britain (hockey), Douglas Brose of Brazil (karate), Sheila Chajira of Kenya (rugby sevens), Doaa Elghobashy of Egypt (beach volleyball), Jomana Elsaiy of Egypt (shooting), Ruth Gbagbi of Côte d’Ivoire (taekwondo), Sonja Greinacher of Germany (basketball 3×3), Zohra Nora Kehli of Algeria (fencing), Khadija Krimi of Tunisia (rowing), Xiaoxiao Lai of China (wushu), Rayssa Leal of Brazil (skateboarding), Vincent Luis of France (triathlon), Jamila Lunkuse of Uganda (swimming), Dina Meshref of Egypt (table tennis), Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda (athletics), Kaylia Nemour of Algeria (artistic gymnastics), Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria (wrestling), Forrester Osei of Ghana (weightlifting), Ayako Rokkaku of Japan (baseball5), Edmond Sanka of Senegal (canoe sprint/Para canoe), Combe Seck of Senegal (canoe sprint), Richard Torrez Jr. of the United States (boxing), Maja Włoszczowska of Poland (cycling) and Siwei Zheng of China (badminton).
Since the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, the Athlete Role Model programme has remained a key feature of the event, offering young competitors the opportunity to learn directly from elite athletes.
The IOC said the role models will be present throughout Dakar 2026 to support participants with advice on competition, training and life beyond sport. They will also take part in educational workshops covering career management, injury prevention, mental preparation and other key topics.
In addition, the mentors will attend training sessions, engage with local communities, support athletes during competitions and take part in victory ceremonies.
Several of the selected athletes welcomed their appointments.
Chinese badminton Olympic champion Siwei Zheng said the role would enable him to demonstrate that being a champion goes beyond winning medals and includes leadership and inspiring others.
Spain’s Asunción Batista, named the world’s best beach handball player in 2022, described the role as an opportunity to grow, find purpose and contribute to something bigger than herself.
Senegalese canoe sprint athlete Combe Seck, who carried her country’s flag at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, said serving as a role model in her home city of Dakar was both a challenge and a source of pride.
Ugandan swimmer Jamila Lunkuse, a two-time Olympian, said representation matters deeply to her and expressed hope that she would serve as a visible example for young athletes.
Brazilian karate star Douglas Brose said he had built his career not only to win medals but also to create opportunities for others.
IOC Athletes’ Department Director Kaveh Mehrabi said young athletes naturally look to Olympians for inspiration and guidance.
“At every edition of the Youth Olympic Games, we have seen the significant impact of Athlete Role Models on the athlete experience,” he said. “These ambassadors will play a central role during Dakar 2026 and beyond.”
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be held from 31 October to 13 November 2026 and are expected to bring together about 2,700 athletes aged up to 17. Competitions will take place across three host zones: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
The announcement underscores the IOC’s commitment to delivering a meaningful experience for young athletes while building a lasting sporting legacy for Senegal and Africa.
