Team Ghana is set for a historic moment as Africa hosts its first-ever Olympic event – the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The Chef de Mission for Team Ghana, Mr. Evans Yeboah, has described Dakar 2026 as Ghana’s moment and Africa’s brightest chance, as 206 countries converge for the Games.
Speaking to the media during the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) celebration, Mr. Yeboah announced that Ghana has qualified for eight disciplines for the Games scheduled for October 31 to November 13, 2026, in Senegal.
The qualified disciplines are athletics, badminton, boxing, beach volleyball, judo, taekwondo, swimming and table tennis. The team of 13 young athletes was selected through qualification pathways administered by their respective International Federations.
Mr. Yeboah, who also serves as President of Ghana Badminton, said preparations by the Ghana Olympic Committee and government have been very exciting.
“Next month the team will be in residential camp preparing to leave by the third week of next month to have a full ten-day acclimatisation just before the beginning of the Olympic Games. We are so prepared and so ready,” he said.
Ghana heads into Dakar 2026 with a rich Youth Olympics history, having participated in all editions since Singapore 2010. The country’s highest achievement remains Martha Bissah’s gold medal in the women’s 800m at Nanjing 2014. Ghana also participated in Buenos Aires 2018.
Mr. Yeboah explained that the celebration of the Olympic Games with school children aged 9 to 16 years is to showcase the disciplines and to promote the core Olympic values of Respect, Excellence and Friendship.
“The Youth Olympic Games are intentionally structured to cultivate the whole person. Our objective is to ensure that Ghana’s young representatives return home not only as competitors but as changemakers and global ambassadors, fully embodying the Olympic spirit of Excellence, Friendship, and Respect,” Yeboah said.
The Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) forms a central part of the Youth Olympic Games agenda, alongside competition and cultural exchange activities.
Ghana’s team for Dakar 2026 includes Mary Coffie and Stephen Oduro Jnr (athletics), Adu-Mintah Obapomba (badminton), Justice Adusei Amoafo and Daniel Lartey (beach volleyball), Robert Amartey Tagoe (boxing), Bernice Mawena Akakpo (judo), Jessica Mensah (taekwondo), Kelvin Abdallah, Mercedes Abdallah, Tamba Akin Boamah and Jada Christiana Yankey (swimming), and Joanita Borteye (table tennis).
