Three track and field athletes, a fencer, a rugby sevens player and three swimmers from Pretoria are part of the South African team participating in the fourth Summer Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, starting this coming weekend.

According to Pretoria Rekord, the Games run from Saturday (October 31) to November 13.

Historic host city for Africa

The Youth Olympics return after an eight-year hiatus caused by the knock-on effects of Covid-19. The 2018 Games were staged in Buenos Aires, but Dakar becomes the first African city to host an Olympic or Paralympic Games.

Team SA will be represented by 46 athletes across 15 different codes in Dakar.

During the recent announcement of the South African team, acting president of the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee Lwandile Simelane noted the significance of the Games.

“It’s truly a historical moment in sport. The first Youth Olympics in Africa. In fact, the first International Olympic Committee event ever staged on the continent. This has to be celebrated. It’s huge for Africa and Team SA is committed to playing a full part in the overall success of the event. Our young athletes will go there as proud representatives of their country, and their continent. We wish them, as well as the organisers of the Youth Olympics, every success,” she remarked.

Pretoria’s rising stars

The eight sports stars from Pretoria participating in this spectacle are track and field athletes Janelle Kirkpatrick, Megan Nieman and Shiloh Snijders (all from Die Hoërskool Menlopark); fencer Nikita Venturas from Tuks Fencing; rugby sevens player Dandré Brink from Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool Pretoria; and swimmers Matthew Goller, Chanel Veldsman and Leah Markgraaff (all from TuksSwimming).

In the three completed Summer Youth Olympics to date, Team SA has won 15 medals, six of which were gold. Team SA brought home a gold medal at each of the three previous Games, occupying 39th position on the all-time medals table.

Among the most famous products from the Youth Olympics moving onto the senior international stage are swimmers Chad le Clos (2010) and Michael Houlie (2014), who both won gold at their respective Games. Both are still competing and earned medals for Team SA at the recent 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.