Post by : Badri Ariffin

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that UAE show jumping athlete Omar Al Marzooqi will serve as an Athlete Role Model for the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games set to take place in Senegal.

This edition of the Youth Olympic Games marks a historic first, as it will be the inaugural Olympic event hosted on African soil, scheduled to run from 31 October to 13 November 2026, and will welcome young competitors from across the globe.

Al Marzooqi made headlines in 2018 by becoming the first Emirati to earn a medal at the Youth Olympic Games, clinching a silver in individual show jumping during the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games held in Buenos Aires, where approximately 4,000 athletes from 206 nations participated.

The IOC's newly introduced list of Athlete Role Models encompasses 36 athletes across 25 competitive sports and 10 engagement disciplines, featuring Olympic stars, medalists, and seasoned Olympians ready to mentor and aid young competitors during Dakar 2026.

In their designated roles, these athletes are set to offer both sporting and psychological support, engage in workshops, and participate in interactive sessions, while imparting the core Olympic values and their experiences to the future generation of sports icons.

The roster also includes esteemed global athletes like French judo star Clarisse Agbegnenou, Algerian gymnast Kaylia Nemour, Brazilian skateboard phenom Rayssa Leal, and Egyptian table tennis ace Dina Meshref.

#world news #Global News #Sports News #UAE News