Kenya’s journey to 2026 Youth Olympics begins now

Seeing young athletes make the transition to the senior ranks is not only heartwarming, but it also gives us hope for the future. For young athletes, it signals hope that it is possible to break the glass ceiling and shine in the senior categories of whatever event they compete in.

For a country that is steeped in long tradition of athletics excellence like Kenya, it means that we stand a good chance of preserving our status as a powerhouse in athletics.

With the Youth Olympic Games coming to Africa for the first time next year, there is even greater reason for our young athletes in various sporting disciplines to put in greater effort in training, and to aspire to greater heights.

Senegal will host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, becoming the first African country to host an Olympics event. And what a good opportunity for Kenyan youth to shine when Africa hosts the global age-group multi-sport extravaganza for the first time!

Read: Sporting highlights Kenyans can look forward to in 2025

The multi-sport event will feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18, competing in 35 sporting events from October 31 to November 13. Senegal had been scheduled to host the 2022 Youth Olympic Games which were cancelled due to health challenges occasioned by Coronavirus pandemic. Other than competitions such as athletics, the 14-day event will welcome four new sports; five-a-side baseball, urban skateboarding, surfing, and the ancient Chinese art of wushu next year. Kenya should prepare to represent Africa well by entering athletes in as many sporting events as possible.  

In athletics, Kenya has done well at the global level, leading the world in the Under-18 World Athletics Championships, and the Under-20 World Athletics Championships. However, the Youth Olympic Games present a different ball game, which is why we have stepped up our efforts to ensure that as many talented Kenyan youth as possible compete on the grandest stage of age-group championships in the world.

Training programmes 

Athletics Kenya has organised holiday training programmes in 54 athletics camps countrywide, starting in April. These camps are aimed at giving opportunities to talented youth to nurture their skills from a young age. Youth identified from the camps will form the core of Kenya’s athletics team that will compete in 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games in mind. We must think ahead and plan in advance for such international championships. The International Olympics Committee’s (IOC) decision to bring the 2026 Youth Olympic Games to Africa is a seal of approval in the continent’s ability as host of the event. It is the biggest signal yet that the Olympic Games could be held in Africa soon.   

Read: Kirsty Coventry elected International Olympic Committee president in IOC vote

Talking of IOC, I congratulate Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe on her election as the IOC president. The 41-year-old multiple Olympics gold medallist in swimming, who is also the sports minister in Zimbabwe becomes the first African head of the world’s biggest sporting organization, and the first woman to hold the position. She polled 49 votes to win ahead of Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr who got 28 votes, Briton Sebastian Coe (eight), Frenchman David Lappartient and Morinari Watanabe from Japan who got four votes each, and Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan and Swedish-Briton Johan Eliasch who got two votes each. She becomes the 10th IOC president, replacing Thomas Bach who is retiring.

Finally, I wish our team of 10 athletes competing in the World Athletics Indoor Championships the very best, as they take on the world in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjin.

Korir is Director of Youth and Development at Athletics Kenya