Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: In 100 days, Senegal will do something no African nation has ever done: host an Olympic event.
The Youth Olympic Games open in Dakar on 31 October. Africa has produced Olympic legends for decades, but has never hosted the Games themselves, until now.
“It is monumental,” said Christophe Dubi, a senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official. He called it the continent’s first true Olympic moment, one the whole of Africa can share.
Dakar won the bid back in 2018. The Games were meant to happen in 2022, but Covid-19 pushed them back, giving organisers extra time to prepare.
Events will be spread across Dakar and two nearby towns, Diamniadio and Saly.
Thierno Cisse, deputy chief operating officer of the local organising committee, says Senegal understands the weight of the moment. He told the BBC the country feels a duty to represent Africa well and prove it can meet the highest standards.
Africa is the youngest continent on Earth. UN data shows about 70 per cent of people in sub-Saharan Africa are under 30.
That’s part of why officials see this as more than a sports event. Dubi called it a powerful symbol and an important first step for the continent.
But many Dakar residents have a more practical hope: jobs. Senegal’s own statistics agency found unemployment among 15-34 yearolds tops 27 per cent. Many young Senegalese have risked dangerous journeys abroad in search of better opportunities. One resident, Issa Diao, said hosting the Games could genuinely help people find work.
Star power
Organisers have brought in big names to raise the Games’ profile, Senegal football captain Kalidou Koulibaly, social media star Khaby Lame, and French actor Omar Sy are all serving as ambassadors. The IOC has also recruited 31 athletes to mentor young competitors during the Games.
