Olympic flame arrives in Senegal for the first Olympic event to be held in Africa
The Olympic flame has arrived in Dakar, Senegal, marking the countdown to the first-ever Olympic event held in Africa. The Youth Olympic Games will feature 2,700 young athletes competing across 35 sports in October.
Why it matters
This event represents a historic milestone for the Olympic movement and the African continent, highlighting the region's growing role in international sports.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Olympic flame was welcomed by music and dancing in Senegal 's capital Saturday, as a march by 100 women marked the countdown to the first Olympic sporting event held in Africa — the Youth Olympic Games.
More than a hundred people gathered at Dakar's Place du Souvenir Africain, a waterfront plaza overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by portraits of prominent figures from Africa and its diaspora, to greet the flame ahead of the Youth Olympic Games next month.
The event, running from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, will bring together about 2,700 young athletes to compete in 35 sports across Dakar and the nearby cities of Diamniadio and Saly.
The Youth Olympics, first held in Singapore in 2010, are a smaller version of the Olympic Games for athletes aged 15 to 18.
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