Australia wins six medals at first African Youth Olympics

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 17:38 · Archive

Australia won six medals at the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, the first Olympic event held in Africa.

Australia has claimed six medals at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, the first Olympic event ever hosted on the African continent. Nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 competed across 25 sports and 153 medal events over two weeks in Dakar. The Australian team won four silver medals and two bronzes.

Australia's medallists included boxer Marley Dodd, who won silver in the men's 55kg event, and Mackenzie Macdonald, who claimed Australia's first ever taekwondo Youth Olympic Games medal in the 49kg category. The cycling team was particularly successful, with Elsie Apps winning silver and Caleb McKenzie of Tasmania winning bronze in the women's and men's road races respectively.

McKenzie, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune illness Hashimoto's disease earlier this year, mounted a strong challenge by leading the race through a breakaway before taking bronze on the final lap. "I wasn't on the bike for a long time," McKenzie said after the race.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry praised the host nation's efforts. "I think everyone came here with certain expectations and I think those expectations have been far exceeded," Coventry said on Thursday. "It has been a magnificent journey. I think we've shown the world the capability that we have."

The Games were attended by enthusiastic crowds, with Dakar's streets and beaches filled with sports fans. African nations achieved record medal hauls, with Senegal winning five gold medals—the first Olympic gold medals in the nation's history. China topped the overall medal count with 18 gold medals, followed by Japan with 11 and Russia with 8, marking Russia's first Olympic competition under its own flag since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

How it is being reported

• Youth Olympic Games organisers hail Senegal's capability to host major eventsDakar 2026 is over. Two weeks of competition, thousands of young athletes and a historic first for Africa. The Youth Olympic Games brought the world to Senegal for the first Olympic sporting event ever held on the continent. From record-breaking performances to historic medals for the host nation, Dakar 2026 has been a celebration of sport, youth and cultural exchange. Our correspondent Aminatou Diallo reports from Dakar.France 24 · 14 Nov, 17:25
• Senegal Youth Olympics in Dakar end on high noteEnthusiastic crowds attended the games in Senegal, with China taking home the most gold medals. It's the first Olympic Games since Russia's war on Ukraine where Russian athletes can compete under their own flag.DW News · 14 Nov, 04:25
• Australia wins six Youth Olympics medals as African Games hailedAustralia has come away from the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal with six medals, as the IOC hails Africa's capability to host major multi--sport events.ABC News Australia · 14 Nov, 00:46

In this story: Australia · Senegal · Marley Dodd · Mackenzie Macdonald · Elsie Apps · Caleb McKenzie · Kirsty Coventry · International Olympic Committee

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log