Sports

Dakar Youth Olympics Conclude with Breakdance Showdown and Mixed Political Tensions

By Nicolas Haque

The final event of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics was a breakdance competition that highlighted creativity and athleticism over brute strength. Teenagers from around the world performed complex footwork, windmills, and freezes, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The Games, held in Senegal, marked the first time an African country hosted an Olympic event. France’s development agency had previously provided Senegal with €80 million ($88 million) to build sporting facilities for the Games. The country’s participation was seen by some as a response to lingering colonial influence.

During the opening swimming medal ceremony, 17‑year‑old Russian swimmer Serafima Fokina won gold and sang the Russian anthem, a moment that was significant because Russia had been suspended from Olympic events after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Israel also competed, despite ongoing conflict in Gaza. A Senegalese man was arrested after posting a video opposing Israel’s participation.

Palestinian swimmer Alma Shaat used her platform to encourage children in Gaza to pursue their dreams, saying she was doing it “for the people in Gaza and in Palestine.”

China finished top of the medal table with 18 golds, followed by Japan with 11 and Russia with eight. Senegal, with 80 athletes who had trained in China as part of a soft‑diplomacy program, finished sixth with five gold medals, ahead of France.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the first African and first woman to lead the IOC, expressed pride in the Games. She noted challenges such as heat in the Olympic village, limited air‑conditioning, and high transport costs, but also highlighted local neighbourhood sports as a way for residents to participate.

The breakdance finals featured Chinese teenager Holy Rain against Taiwanese competitor Saturn of Chinese Taipei, while Japan’s Hiyo won gold over Ukraine’s 14‑year‑old Nikastar, and Spain’s Mini Ali took bronze against Morocco’s Nawel.

Throughout the Games, athletes used social media to share their stories, while political and historical tensions—such as the presence of a bronze statue of an African soldier named Demba and a French soldier named Dupont—remained visible. Despite these divisions, the athletes’ performances and camaraderie underscored the spirit of the Youth Olympics.