Held in the presence of International Judo Federation Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan, IJF Vice-President Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko and Ababakar Ngom, president of the Senegal Judo Federation, as well as Hedvig Karakas, IJF Sport Director, and Tina Trstenjak, IJF Referee Director, the draw marked another milestone on the road to this historic edition of the Games.
Speaking on behalf of the IJF and its president, Mr Marius Vizer, Dr Lisa Allan thanked the International Olympic Committee, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee and the Senegal Judo Federation for their support. She also highlighted a milestone within the federation’s own team: gender equality among the IJF staff and officials at these Games, achieved for the first time.
Recognising the work of national technical officials and volunteers, she underlined the contribution of those whose efforts behind the scenes make the competition possible. Her message to the athletes was clear, “May you enjoy the competition, perform to the best of your abilities and create lasting memories here in Dakar.”
For Senegal and for Africa, the occasion carries a significance that reaches well beyond the competition arena. Welcoming participants, Ababakar Ngom described Dakar 2026 as “A symbol of excellence, solidarity, and empowerment for our youth.” He thanked IJF President Mr Marius Vizer for his trust and praised the collective commitment of the organising committee, Senegal’s National Olympic and Sports Committee and the Senegalese state in bringing the first Youth Olympic Games on African soil to life.
Now, attention turns to the judo itself. The opening day, Sunday 1st November, will feature the boys’ -55 kg and -66 kg categories and the girls’ -44 kg category. Monday 2nd November will bring the girls’ -52 kg and -63 kg and boys’ -81 kg categories into action, before the girls’ -78 kg and boys’ -100 kg conclude the programme on Tuesday 3rd November.
Each day, preliminary contests will begin at 10:00 on two tatami, with the medal contests scheduled for 16:00 on one tatami. All times are local to Dakar. A full repechage system will offer athletes another route towards the bronze medals, ensuring that the fight for the podium remains open beyond an initial defeat.
For the young competitors, the draw has turned anticipation into a tangible challenge. There are opponents to prepare for, opportunities to grasp and Olympic memories waiting to be made. For spectators, three days of discovery, emotion and ambitious judo lie ahead.
Dakar is ready. Tomorrow, the athletes take centre stage.
Follow the competition schedule and results on the official Dakar 2026 website https://www.olympics.com/en/dakar-2026/schedule-results and follow us also on our usual communication platforms.