Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics: four titles up for grabs as Senegal and Ivory Coast take to the court
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games enter a new phase this Saturday 7 November, with the start of beach wrestling and its first four finals. At Saly, the discipline will make its debut in the Youth Olympic programme. Several African teams will also be in action, notably in 3x3 basketball and futsal, where Senegal will try to keep their run going in front of their home crowd.
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Beach wrestling takes centre stage with four finals
It is one of the main attractions of the day. The beach wrestling competition begins at 10:30 at Saly Beach West, with group phases in four categories. Athletes will then compete for places in the semi-finals before the medal bouts.
Four titles will be awarded in the late afternoon: in the men's 60 and 80 kg categories, and in the women's 55 and 75 kg. The men's 60 kg final, scheduled for 16:40, will be a first in the history of this discipline at the Youth Olympic Games.
Senegal face France, Ivory Coast take on Germany
The 3x3 basketball will also offer several fixtures worth following. In the women's event, hosts Senegal play France at 11:15, then meet Poland at 17:15. Between those two games, the French will also face the Poles.
In the men's tournament, Ivory Coast have two games on the schedule. The young Ivorians open their day against Germany at 10:00, then meet the Solomon Islands at 11:50. These are important games for the teams involved in this preliminary phase.
Senegal look to build on their momentum in futsal
In the men's futsal, the Teranga Lion Cubs will try to confirm their response after their defeat to Argentina (9-2). The Senegalese bounced back by beating Panama (5-4), thanks in particular to a goal from Mamadou Diagne in the final seconds.
They face Afghanistan at 17:30 in Group A, aiming to secure a place in the semi-finals. In Group B, Morocco take on the Solomon Islands at 12:00, after their win over Paraguay (6-3).
The day will also see the start of the boxing and artistic gymnastics competitions, while archery continues with the first knockout round of the individual events. The various events can be followed live on Olympic Channel, via Olympics.com and the Games' official app.