World marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge believes Kenya has the infrastructure and sporting capacity to host future editions of the Youth Olympic Games following Senegal’s successful hosting of the 2026 competition in Dakar.
Kipchoge, who travelled to Senegal to mentor young athletes, praised the country’s organisation of the multi-sport event but argued that Kenya is also well positioned to stage competitions of a similar scale.
Speaking about Senegal’s hosting, the former marathon world record holder said the event had demonstrated Africa’s ability to organise major international sporting competitions.
“I am really impressed by what Senegal has showcased in this Youth Games. It shows that Africa is capable of organizing and managing such big sporting events. I think Kenya is better placed compared to Senegal in as far as hosting such events is concerned. We have all it takes to stage such championships and more,” Kipchoge said.
Kipchoge Praises Kenya’s Performance at Dakar Youth Games
The celebrated athlete also expressed satisfaction with Team Kenya’s performances across different sporting disciplines.
Kipchoge said the competition had provided an opportunity to witness the talent emerging from Kenya and other African countries.
He congratulated the Kenyan athletes for their performances, saying their achievements offered encouragement for the future of African sports.
“The games have been wonderful, it has been a great experience, Kenya has been performing well and it is evident that Kenya and Africa has the right talent to win many races or competitions in future. I am really proud to see the success of Kenyan athletes,” he added.
Kenya Wins Six Medals at 2026 Dakar Youth Olympics
Team Kenya finished the 2026 Dakar Youth Games with six medals, comprising four gold and two silver.
The performance marked an improvement from the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Kenya collected four medals, including three gold and one silver.
Kenya’s success in Dakar was spread across athletics and rugby, with the women’s rugby team and three individual athletes winning gold medals.
Full List of Kenya’s Medallists at Dakar 2026
Gold medals
- Kenya Women’s Rugby Team
- Faith Rono – Women’s 3000m
- Enock Tuitoek – Men’s 3000m
- Abigael Kosgei – Women’s 2000m steeplechase
Silver medals
- Wesley Kiplagat – Men’s 2000m steeplechase
- Abigael Chepkirui – Women’s 1500m
