Stars of tomorrow setting Olympic stage for beach sprints

Every four years, young athletes aged 15 to 18 years old gather for the Youth Olympic Games. The Youth Olympics give them a chance to experience a multisport event for the first time; across all sports, Youth Olympic medallists often go on to win Olympic medals a few years later.

At the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, beach sprints rowing will make its first appearance on the Olympic stage – two years ahead of its debut at the summer Olympic Games for senior rowers.

Each competing nation in Dakar is able to send two athletes, one boy and one girl, to race in the coastal solos and mixed double sculls. Competitors include 2026 European under 19 men’s solo champion Iason Mouselimis of Greece, and 2025 world bronze medallists in the coastal under 19 mixed double, Raphael de Boussac and Elisa Guilloton of France.

Mouselimis must be among the top contenders for Youth Olympic gold in the men’s solo, coming off victories in the under 19 men’s single sculls at the 2026 World and European Rowing Under 19 Championships as well as the European beach sprints title. He had to settle for silver at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, but can still end on a high.

“I’ve had a great year. My goal from the beginning of the season was to do five to five golds,” Mouselimis says.

The French double are also excited about their prospects for success in Senegal.

“We’ve really got a good boat and whether we’re on the water or away from it the atmosphere is good, we row well together, we’re strong, we have good cohesion. We’re confident. When we’re in the double we’ll show how strong we are,” says de Boussac.

Over the Moon

Huge excitement surrounds the athletes set to travel to Senegal for the Youth Olympics.

“I was over the moon,” says Great Britain’s Lexi Gill of her selection. “It was my dream the whole season, I’ve just been working towards it. Having the image in my head has really driven me to get here.”

“It was completely unexpected, especially since it was only my second competition, so I really struggled to believe it or even process it at first, but then I managed to. I mean, it’s finally sunk in. It’s real now,” adds Davide Gazzola of Italy.

And the young rowers are also very aware that they are making beach sprints history by being the first to race the discipline at an ‘Olympic’ event.

“It’s so amazing that we get to try it out and be the face for it for the first ever Olympic event that it’s in,” adds Gill.

“Just having the Olympic experience is huge, even if it’s the Youth Olympic Games and not the Olympics, it’s already something that we won’t forget. To be the first to do the Youth Olympic Games in beach sprints is truly crazy, especially because there’s only two of us representing France,” says Guilloton.

The youngest beach sprint athlete in Dakar will be the USA’s 15-year-old Allison Grove. Competing at the 2026 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Qingdao was Grove’s first time outside the USA, and she is relishing the opportunities the sport is giving her.

“I’m really excited to travel and have the opportunity to compete and represent the United States and just to see how I place. I’m excited and I think depending on how it plays out it’ll be a really good opportunity either for a learning experience or something that I can go home and say ‘I did this, I’m proud of this’,” Grove says.

Wanting to come away proud of their results is a common theme among the imminent youth Olympians.

“Whatever result we get, as long as I perform technically how I want to perform, I’ll be happy with whatever result comes with that,” Louie Walker of Great Britain says.

Dakar as a Stepping Stone

They are all also looking ahead to their futures in the sport, and keen to try and become beach sprint Olympians at a senior level. Los Angeles 2028 may be too early for many of the group, and the discipline has not yet been confirmed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games – but if it is, some of the class of Dakar 2026 are likely to be there.

“I think I have the right aptitude for coastal rowing and the aim is to make the senior French team. I’m eyeing the Olympic Games; we’ve already made it as juniors, why not as seniors?” de Boussac says.

Mouselimis is even looking at Los Angeles as a goal, although he knows it would be a big step up as an 18-year-old next year.

In the meantime, those athletes racing at both the 2026 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and in Dakar have a quick turnaround between the competitions. Some have already started researching conditions in Senegal, while others focused on Qingdao first.

“I’ve had a look at how conditions should play out over there, but it’s beach sprints, so really anything can happen,” Walker laughs.

Grove says: “I’ve done a little bit of reading. I know that it’s going to be really hot, and that I’m not the most excited for.”

The group also want to make the most of their time in Dakar, if possible.

“Away from the sporting experience, you discover a new culture, a new universe,” says de Boussac of competing internationally. “We’re here in China and we’re discovering how the Chinese live, which is very different from back home. Going to Africa will be a really great experience.”

“We are very excited about this experience; it’s not something that happens to everyone. So we consider ourselves very lucky and satisfied. We can’t wait to get going,” concludes Giorgia Cassina of Italy.

The beach sprints competition at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games takes place between 31 October and 3 November 2026.