One month to go to Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

World Rowing is building a strong foundation ahead of this historic event

With one month to go until the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, World Rowing has already delivered a range of initiatives focused on workforce development, athlete mentoring and safeguarding, helping to prepare for coastal Rowing’s Olympic debut on African soil.

Workforce Training for a Lasting Legacy

World Rowing held a targeted two-day training programme in Senegal to strengthen the local workforce that will deliver coastal Rowing at Dakar 2026.

Held on 7–8 August in Dakar, the programme brought together members of the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, future organisers and volunteers for classroom and practical sessions focused on the specific demands of beach sprint Rowing.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, taking place from 31 October to 13 November, will feature coastal Rowing beach sprint races at Saly Beach West. Three medal events are scheduled: men’s solo, women’s solo and mixed double sculls.

World Rowing has prioritised workforce development to help ensure the competition is delivered to international standards while leaving a lasting legacy of expertise in Senegal.

Coastal Technical Delegate Course

Led by Sahbi Khardani, an educator with the World Rowing Coastal Commission and Development Team, the technical delegate course provided local trainees with the foundational knowledge required for their Youth Olympic Games roles.

The course covered the primary responsibilities of a technical delegate and how the role interacts with other key event positions. Participants also examined the skills and experience required for the role, beach sprint venue requirements, technical specifications, beach dynamics, field-of-play setup, equipment and infrastructure, and basic on-water safety and rescue procedures.

The modules combined knowledge of the rules with practical scenarios relevant to Saly Beach West, where the coastal Rowing competition will take place.

Athlete Role Models to Mentor Rowing’s Next Generation

To support the young competitors at Dakar 2026, the IOC has appointed two experienced rowers as Athlete Role Models: Christopher Bak of the United States, a four-time world champion, and Khadija Krimi of Tunisia, a three-time Olympian and double medallist at the World Rowing Championships in the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x).

Bak and Krimi will be in Senegal throughout the Games. They will promote Olympic values such as excellence, friendship and respect, support education and engagement programmes, and share their valuable experiences with the young rowers.

Their presence reflects World Rowing’s and the IOC’s commitment to using the historic debut of coastal Rowing on African soil not only to showcase the sport, but also to inspire and equip the next generation of athletes with the tools they need to succeed both on and off the water.

Safeguarding Through Accessible Storytelling

As part of its commitment to athlete welfare and safe sport, World Rowing is developing a safeguarding comic book to raise awareness among athletes and members of their entourage.

Using relatable scenarios and engaging visual storytelling, the comic will help young people recognise positive behaviours, understand how to seek support and build confidence to speak up when something does not feel right.

The initiative is designed to make safeguarding messages accessible, practical and relevant to the next generation of athletes, including those preparing for major events such as the Youth Olympic Games.

Dakar 2026 at a Glance

The Youth Olympic Games will bring together approximately 2,700 athletes across 35 sports in Dakar, Saly and Diamniadio. Coastal Rowing will be among the new disciplines contributing to the Olympic movement’s historic first event on African soil.

• Venue: Saly Beach, approximately 80 km south of Dakar. The venue will also host beach handball, beach volleyball, beach wrestling, sailing and triathlon.
• Medal events: Men’s solo, women’s solo and mixed double sculls.
• Quota: 64 rowers — 32 men and 32 women — born between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2011.
• Beach sprint format: Two competitors start in parallel from the sand, run to the water, complete a slalom-style Rowing course around buoys, return in a straight line, and then run to the finish on the beach.