2026 Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games put junior athletes on the sport's biggest junior stage, and the 2026 edition marks the first time the Games are held in Africa. Rowing is contested in Dakar, Senegal, from 31 October to 3 November.

Rowing at these Games runs in the beach sprint format, a sharp, head-to-head discipline that suits the compact YOG programme and the Atlantic conditions on Senegal's coast. For many of the young crews it is a first taste of multi-sport competition at this level.

Beyond the medals, Dakar 2026 is a milestone for the Olympic movement and for rowing's reach, bringing the format to a new continent and a new generation. It is a meeting point for emerging talent from across the rowing world.