The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are in full swing in Senegal — marking a historic first for the African continent.
Following Saturday’s spectacular opening ceremony, athletes aged 15 to 17 are already writing themselves into the history books.
The Games are showcasing some exciting new disciplines.
ROWING BRACH SPRINTS
One of which is the Coastal Rowing Beach Sprints. Rowing as always been an Olympic staple – but this version is slightly different.
Athletes start on dry land, and run down a stretch of beach towards the water. They then board their boats, row out 250m to a buoy before returning to the shore and sprinting back to the finish line.
The fastest time wins!
WUSHU ARTS
This year the games has given medals for this modern Chinese martial art.
It has been largely promoted by the government of China, to encourage friendly international exchange. It was also greatly popularised by movie stars like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Michelle Yeoh.
The International Wushu Federation was established in 1990.
It is also a visually striking sport, and teams were allowed to wear their own brightly-coloured, flowing robes.
BASEBALL 5
This is a simplified, equipment-free version of baseball.
Taking inspiration from street games, the five-a-side sport features mixed-gender teams, and players use their hand to hit a rubber ball.
They play in a 18m x 18m court with four bases.
Header image: Jonathan Nackstrand for OIS/IOC