Africa-Press – Gambia. Fifteen young sports journalists from around the world have been selected for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Young Reporters Programme ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The selection follows strong global interest, with 271 applications received from 32 countries after the programme’s revised format was introduced in September 2025.
The participants, aged between 21 and 25, will undergo intensive training and gain practical experience covering one of the world’s largest multi-sport events for young athletes.
During the Games, the young reporters will be deployed across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, where they will work alongside international media professionals covering competitions and cultural events.
The cohort reflects broad international representation, including six participants from Africa, among them three from host nation Senegal. Others hail from Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, as well as countries expected to host future Olympic and Youth Olympic Games.
The selected participants are Oumou Koulsoum Balde, Boubacar Diop and Aissatou Ka (Senegal); Nathan Goddard-McCarthy (Barbados); Flavie Kazmierczak (France); Yue Liu (China); Simone Longo (Italy); Nkele Martin (Canada); Mahbubat Salahudeen (Nigeria); Hawa Sow Tall (Mauritania); Aina Vall (Spain); Joh Vonne Roberts (USA); Abigael Wafula (Kenya); and Jack Young and Evelyn Younger (Australia).
They will be based at the Main Press Centre, where they will receive hands-on training in print journalism, sports photography, broadcasting, and social media reporting under the supervision of experienced Olympic media professionals.
Participants will also work in press conferences, mixed zones, and live event environments, with their reports and multimedia content published on official programme platforms.
First launched ahead of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, the IOC Young Reporters Programme has trained 125 journalists from 68 countries, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in sports media.
The Dakar 2026 edition builds on this legacy, introducing updates to reflect the evolving media landscape, following an independent review conducted in 2025 by Dr Jessie Wilkie of the University of Canberra.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together around 2,700 athletes aged up to 17 from across the world.
