Africa finally gets its Olympic moment today. Senegal opens the 2026 Youth Olympic Games at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, and Uganda's flag will be among those carried into the warm night at the first Olympic event ever held on the continent.
The Games run until November 13 with Uganda competing in seven sports: rowing, table tennis, rugby sevens, badminton, swimming, athletics, and road cycling.
The Ugandans have had to adjust quickly to the conditions. 

"In terms of the weather, it's extremely hot," said rower Marcel Andrew Otim, who flew in from the cooler autumn of the United States. 

"It was kind of a shock to my body coming over here where it's like 90 degrees." 

Still, the 17-year-old is loving it: "I'm enjoying Senegal. The village is amazing. I'm really enjoying all the accommodations."

Work before the party
For two of Uganda's teams, the Games start before the ceremony.
Otim is on the water at Saly Beach West, about 80km south of Dakar, for his first coastal beach sprint time trial today. He goes again on Sunday before the knockout rounds on Monday and the finals on Tuesday.
The US-born son of Ugandan parents comes in with form. He qualified with bronze at the Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprint Championships in Barbados last November. 

"I'm very excited for racing, so I can't wait to see what Saturday has in store for me," he said.
He has company on the beach. National rower Elijah Namunyolu, just back from the World Rowing Beach Sprints in China, is in Dakar as his boat handler. Coastal rowing needs a coach and a boat handler to manage the boat. 

"We felt it best that Elijah would be here, to just make sure that Marcel has the best support possible," rowing coach Batenga said before adding that the trip also keeps Namunyu sharp for the African Championships at the end of November.
Table tennis also starts today at the Dakar Expo Center in Diamniadio and runs until November 5. Joseph Sebatindira, just 11, plays the men's singles. He is a former world No. 1 in the Under-11 category, the first African boy to top any ITTF age-group ranking. Jemimah Nakawala, 16, plays the women's singles, and the pair team up in the mixed doubles.
Sebatindira arrived fresh from defending the ITTF World Hopes title in Sheffield, which is contested by under-12 players, adding this to multiple Under-11 and Under-13 titles.  He has been doing gym work in the village with help from the rowing team. 

"I think my speed and strength is increasing more," Ssebatindira said as he waited for Nakawala and coach Alvin Katumba to arrive on Thursday. The former, a student at Kibuli Secondary School, had Senior Four examinations to handle but Katumba is confident the pairing can handle the task despite spending limited time together: "When they play as a team, it is a very good team."

A probable early night
Meanwhile, the ceremony may be a short one for many in the Ugandan camp. Rugby sevens, badminton, and swimming all start tomorrow, as does the second round of Otim's time trials. Some athletes are likely to head back to the village, which is a stone throw away from the stadium, early to rest.
The badminton team, the rugby sevens team, and part of the swimming team, including Zara Marie Mbanga and coach Ezekiel Kalali, arrived on Wednesday afternoon.  Swimmer Arthur Mwase was expected on Friday after his own exams, with the rest of the swimmers due before tomorrow's first dip.
The early arrivals say the village has made settling in easy. 

"Where we are right now in the village, we have facilities," said Batenga. 

"The food has not been so bad, there are options, and they've been able to rest." The gym won her over: "It's great stuff. It's air-conditioned, which is awesome."
Why YOG matters
Uganda has won four medals at the Summer Youth Olympics: one gold, one silver and two bronze. All four came on the track.
Zakaria Kiprotich took steeplechase bronze at Singapore 2010, and Geofrey Balimumiti won 800m silver at Nanjing 2014. Buenos Aires 2018 was Uganda's best Games yet, with Sarah Chelangat winning the girls' 3000m and Oscar Chelimo taking bronze in the boys' race.
The Youth Olympics have often been the first stop on a bigger journey. Halima Nakaayi was Uganda's flag bearer in Singapore and was disqualified in her 400m heat. Nine years later, she was 800m world champion in Doha. Chelimo won 5000m bronze at the 2022 World Championships and has run at two Olympics. Chelangat ran at the Tokyo Olympics and now holds the Ugandan 10,000m record. 

"The Youth Olympics will be a great stepping stone in my rowing journey and will hopefully lead to the Olympic Games in 2032," Otim said. He speaks for all 25 athletes on the team.

Uganda's Dakar 2026 schedule
October 31: Opening ceremony, Abdoulaye Wade Stadium
October 31–November 3: Rowing (coastal beach sprints), Saly Beach West
October 31–November 5: Table tennis, Dakar Expo Center, Diamniadio
November 1–3: Rugby sevens, Iba Mar Diop Complex, Dakar
November 1–5: Badminton, Dakar Arena, Diamniadio
November 1–6: Swimming, Egg Tower Complex, Dakar
November 8–10: Athletics, Iba Mar Diop Complex, Dakar
November 8–10: Cycling (road), Corniche West, Dakar
November 13: Closing ceremony, Abdoulaye Wade Stadium