2026 Youth Olympic Games open in Senegal, as Kazakhstan joins parade of nations

The ceremony took place at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, which has a capacity of 55,000 spectators.

Organizers prepared an extensive artistic program celebrating Senegal’s history, cultural heritage and traditions, as well as the diversity of African cultures.

More than 1,000 people took part in preparing the show, including over 600 dancers from different regions of the country. The program featured traditional African dances, musical performances, theatrical productions and modern visual effects. Local artisans created around 1,500 costumes for the ceremony.

The performance explored Africa’s history, cultural diversity, traditions and connections between generations. It also highlighted contemporary African culture and youth creativity. The program included two themed productions, La Quête and Alkebulan Live, dedicated to Africa’s history and cultural heritage.

One of the ceremony’s highlights was the parade of national delegations. Judoka Fatima Supygalieva and beach volleyball player Alikhan Agabek carried Kazakhstan’s flag.

Both athletes won gold medals at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. In 2026, Supygalieva also became a world champion in cadet judo.

Another key moment was the lighting of the Olympic flame. It was lit on September 10 at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens before being transported to Senegal.

The Olympic torch relay, held under the motto “Pass the Energy,” covered all 14 regions of Senegal. Among the torchbearers were actor Omar Sy, blogger Khaby Lame and representatives of Senegalese sports.

The final stage of the relay took place in Dakar on October 30. The lighting of the Olympic cauldron at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium marked the official start of the Games.

More than 2,000 athletes are expected to compete at the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games. Kazakhstan is represented by 18 athletes across 11 sports.

A new athlete admission system has been introduced for the 2026 Games. Unlike previous editions of the Youth Olympic Games, no qualifying tournaments were held. Invitation quotas were allocated by the International Olympic Committee in cooperation with international sports federations, based on established participation criteria.

The competitions will take place across three locations - Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly - and conclude on November 13.

Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan’s Sofia Samodelkina placed fifth after the short program at the second stage of the ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada in Kelowna.