Beach Sprint Rowing confirmed for the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has confirmed the events, and athlete quotas for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026.

The decision marks a significant milestone for the YOG, with a renewed focus on creating a programme that resonates with the local context, maintains the highest standards of elite youth competition and ensures gender equality.

Dakar 2026 will showcase one discipline from each of the 25 sports on the competition programme. For Rowing, it means that Beach Sprints, a format of the Coastal Rowing discipline, is now confirmed in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games’ competition programme.

To be held on Saly Beach, just south of Dakar, Rowing will take advantage of one of Senegal’s most beautiful beaches for racing.

The three events confirmed for Beach Sprints are:

• Men’s Solo (JM1x),
• Women’s Solo (JW1x),
• Mixed Double Sculls (JMix2x)

The Coastal Beach Sprints format will take place with an athlete quota of 64 (32 men and 32 women) and will be staged with several other water and beach sports at the Saly Beach venue.

With the confirmed event programme and athlete quota, World Rowing is now working closely with the IOC to prepare the qualification pathway for rowing. This will be finalised by March 2025, following ongoing consultation. The first qualification opportunity is expected to be on the occasion of the 2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

World Rowing has embarked on an ambitious, global growth strategy for the discipline, underpinned by increased investments across geographies and participation in high-profile multisport events. That global growth strategy will continue with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.