Five Nigerian youngsters making waves at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics

Nigeria's young athletes are attracting attention at the ongoing 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, following a series of historic victories and impressive performances.

From record-breaking sprint performances to personal bests in field events, five Nigerian athletes have distinguished themselves at the competition, showcasing the country's emerging sporting talents.

Here are five athletes making headlines at Dakar 2026.

Praise Ugoh, 16, has made history as the first Nigerian to win the women's 400m title at the Youth Olympic Games.

She achieved the feat on November 9, clocking a personal-best 52.76 seconds to claim gold ahead of Venezuela's Osmary Pacheco, who finished in 52.85 seconds.

Ugoh improved significantly on her semi-final time of 54.38 seconds to secure the biggest victory of her young career.

Her triumph also increased Nigeria's gold medal tally at the Games to three.

At 15, Gift Bright became the first Nigerian to win the men's 100m title at the Youth Olympic Games.

He clocked a Games-record 10.28 seconds to claim gold, finishing ahead of China's Zhang Hangyu, who recorded 10.57 seconds, and Poland's Szymon Dolega, who came third in 10.61 seconds.

Bright's journey into athletics began during a school relay race at Osadenis Mixed Secondary School in Asaba, Delta State, where a coach, Terry Irivieda, noticed his talent and invited him to train.

He later won the boys' 200m gold at the 2024 National Youth Games, representing Delta State.

His victory in Dakar was particularly significant after he battled a thigh injury in the weeks leading up to the competition.

Seventeen-year-old Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo won the women's 100m gold medal in 11.16 seconds, becoming the third Nigerian woman to claim the title at the Youth Olympic Games.

She finished ahead of Arwa Ali of the United Arab Emirates, who recorded 11.41 seconds, and Dana Salem of Qatar, who clocked 11.48 seconds.

Nwankwo's victory continued a Nigerian tradition that began with Josephine Omaka, who won the event at the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010. Rosemary Chukwuma followed with another gold medal at the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Her victory also completed Nigeria's historic sprint double alongside Bright, making the country the first to win both the men's and women's 100m titles at the same edition of the competition.

Rita Chisom Ezeh also represented Nigeria in the women's 400m hurdles, recording a personal best despite missing out on a place in the final.

She finished seventh in the second semi-final heat with a time of 1:01.66, improving on her previous personal best of 1:05.63.

Although she did not advance to the final, her performance marked a significant improvement and offered a glimpse of her potential in the event.

Obanla Ehuwa rounded off Nigeria's notable athletics performances with a personal-best clearance in the men's high jump final.

The teenager cleared 1.97 metres to finish eighth, improving on his previous best of 1.95 metres.

Although he did not secure a podium finish, his performance marked a new personal record on the international stage.

Nigeria is not the only African country enjoying impressive performances at the Games.

Kenya secured two athletics gold medals through Abigael Kosgei, who won the women's 2,000m steeplechase, and Enock Tuitoek, who claimed the men's 3,000m title.

Burkina Faso also celebrated a historic podium finish after Ibrahim Sawadogo won bronze in the men's long jump with a 7.23-metre leap.

The achievements have added to the significance of Dakar 2026, the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games to be hosted on African soil.

The competition, which began on October 31, is scheduled to run until November 13, bringing together young athletes from around the world.

For Nigeria, the performances of Ugoh, Bright, Nwankwo and their teammates have provided a glimpse of the country's emerging sporting talent and the potential of its next generation of athletes.