The Uganda Olympic Committee has officially named a 25-member team to represent the country at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
The squad comprises seven female and 18 male athletes who will compete in seven disciplines including athletics, badminton and rugby sevens.
Lydia Gloria Ssanyu Dhamuzungu will lead the delegation as Chef de Mission in her capacity as Assistant General Secretary of the Uganda Olympic Committee.
Dhamuzungu called upon Ugandans to rally behind the young athletes as they prepare for the first Olympic event on African soil.
She urged the athletes to believe in themselves and represent Uganda with courage and dignity at the historic Games.
Athletics will have five representatives featuring a mix of middle- and long-distance runners expected to uphold Uganda's distance running tradition.
The athletics squad comprises Baskaline Cherotwo, Racheal Chelimo, Keren Chelimo, Michael Kibet and Timothy Cheptoek.
Cherotwo will contest the women's 1500m while Racheal Chelimo takes on the 2000m steeplechase and Keren Chelimo the women's 3000m.
Kibet will compete in the men's 2000m steeplechase with Cheptoek entered in the 800m under coach Ziana Chetoyek in Kapchorwa.
Swimming fields four athletes across 13 individual events under the guidance of coach Ezra Kalali.
Mary Peyton Suubi and Marie Mbanga represent the women while Mark Arthur Mwase and Peterson Inhensiko compete in the men's category.
Suubi enters the 400m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke with Mbanga in the 50m and 200m breaststroke plus 200m individual medley.
Mwase will swim the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle while Inhensiko tackles the 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly.
Team Uganda squad for Dakar 2026
- Athletics (5): Baskaline Cherotwo, Racheal Chelimo, Keren Chelimo, Michael Kibet, Timothy Cheptoek
- Swimming (4): Mary Peyton Suubi, Marie Mbanga, Mark Arthur Mwase, Peterson Inhensiko
- Badminton, road cycling, coastal beach sprints, rugby sevens, table tennis: athletes to be confirmed
- Chef de Mission: Lydia Gloria Ssanyu Dhamuzungu
- Athletics coach: Ziana Chetoyek
- Swimming coach: Ezra Kalali
Watch the Highlights
Source: Kawowo Sports
