Team USA Announces 29-Athlete Roster for Historic Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (TXAN 24) — The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has announced the 2026 U.S. Youth Olympic Games Team, with 29 athletes set to represent the United States at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, October 31 - November 13.

The delegation includes athletes ages 13 to 18 competing across 12 sports, including archery, badminton, breaking, coastal rowing, equestrian, rugby sevens, skateboarding, taekwondo, triathlon, beach volleyball, beach wrestling and wushu.

The Dakar Games will make Olympic history as the first Olympic event held on the African continent. Approximately 2,700 young athletes from around the world are expected to compete in 151 events across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

“This is an important milestone in the development of young athletes,” said Daniel Smith, USOPC Director of Summer Games and Team USA Chef de Mission. “We’re excited for our athletes to embrace the opportunity, build connections with young athletes from around the world and proudly represent the United States on this historic stage.”

The 2026 Games will be the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games and the first since Buenos Aires 2018. The event was originally scheduled for 2022 before being postponed.

Team USA won 18 medals at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, including six gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.

Since the Youth Olympic Games began in 2010, 89 athletes who competed for Team USA have gone on to represent the United States at the Olympic or Olympic Winter Games.

The Dakar Games will feature equal numbers of men’s and women’s events, along with seven mixed-gender events.