Team Kenya has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, with 53 athletes expected to fly the national flag across 13 sporting disciplines at the first edition of the event to be staged on African soil.
Initially planned to feature 54 athletes, the Kenyan contingent will be the second-largest at the Games, behind hosts Senegal.
The competition will take place from October 31 to November 13, attracting approximately 2,700 athletes aged between 14 and 17 years old from 206 National Olympic Committees worldwide.
Team Kenya Chef de Mission Angela Luchivya disclosed that preparations had reached their final stage, with the athletes expected to assemble for a residential training camp in Mombasa before travelling to Senegal.
“With 15 days remaining, everything is in place, and we are ready to begin the journey,” said Luchivya during a briefing on the team's preparations.
The athletes have been training through their respective federations to ensure they remain competitive while balancing their academic commitments. Several squads have also participated in international training camps and competitions to evaluate their preparedness.
The basketball 3x3 team held a training camp in Senegal from October 6-9, while the rugby sevens squad is currently training in Tunisia. The Baseball5 team recently returned from a preparatory tournament in Botswana, as the beach wrestling team is scheduled to travel to Mauritius for training ahead of the quadrennial Games.
Kenya will participate in athletics, rugby sevens, Baseball5, basketball 3x3, swimming, road cycling, boxing, fencing, judo, wushu, beach handball, beach wrestling and triathlon.
Luchivya noted that the larger delegation marked an important milestone in Kenya's efforts to broaden its sporting ambitions beyond athletics and invest in emerging talent across other disciplines.
Previously, Kenya's largest delegation to the Youth Olympic Games comprised 18 athletes, meaning this year's team is almost three times bigger.
She revealed that the country was targeting an improved medal performance while using the competition to strengthen and expand its participation in various sports for the future.
Female athletes will dominate the delegation, accounting for 42 of the 53 competitors, or approximately 79 per cent of the team.
Team Kenya officials noted that the figures highlighted the increasing participation of young women in competitive sport.
The welfare and protection of the young athletes have also been prioritised, with the team management putting in place medical services, physiotherapy, mental health support and safeguarding personnel.
Team Kenya Chief Executive Officer Kerubo Momanyi explained that logistical arrangements, covering accommodation, transportation, competition uniforms and medical supplies, had been organised through a coordinated operational framework.
To help athletes adjust to life in Senegal, the delegation is working with the Kenyan Embassy to ensure familiar foods, including maize flour and traditional vegetables, are available during the competition.
The team is also collaborating with schools and the Ministry of Education to make special examination arrangements for athletes who may miss their scheduled examinations while representing the country.
In addition, National Olympic Committee of Kenya officials have reiterated their commitment to clean sport, with anti-doping awareness programmes planned to educate the young competitors on fair play and responsible competition.
The committee has called on the media, sports federations and other stakeholders to unite in supporting the delegation.
It emphasised that the Youth Olympic Games should serve as a stepping stone towards future success at the senior Olympic level.
As the final preparations continue, Kenya hopes the Dakar Games will deliver improved medal results while providing valuable international experience for its emerging athletes. The long-term ambition is to develop competitors capable of representing the country at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2032 Games in Brisbane.
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