Olympic dream comes alive in Africa: Moro and Trevisan lead Italia Team at Dakar 2026 Opening Ceremony
An evening destined to go down in the history of the Olympic Movement. The fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games, Dakar 2026, taking place from 31 October to 13 November, officially opened at the Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, Senegal. For the first time, the African continent is hosting an Olympic event, welcoming the world's rising sporting talents.
The traditional Parade of Nations unfolded in two stages: first came the entrance of the delegations – with the host nation Senegal receiving a thunderous welcome as the crowd sang from the stands – followed by the parade of flagbearers.
Leading Italia Team in the traditional parade of delegations, proudly carrying the Italian flag, were Ilenia Moro, captain of the women's Under-18 national futsal team, and Francesco Trevisan (photo: OIS/Kieran Cleeves), one of Italy's most promising young table tennis players. The two Italian flagbearers paraded alongside Japan and Jamaica in a procession featuring 205 delegations, including, for the first time at the Youth Olympic Games, the Refugee Olympic Team, a symbol of hope, inclusion and solidarity through sport.
The delegations of Russia and Belarus also took part, returning to an Olympic event under their respective national flags for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Opening Ceremony celebrated the identity, traditions and cultural richness of Senegal and the entire African continent through a spectacular display of music, dance and choreography, highlighting the universal values of sport and the Olympic spirit. The central theme of the show was "The Rise of Sitoé", a story tracing Africa's past, present and future through three generations of characters: Alkebulan, the mother, symbolising the continent's roots and history; Keb, her son, representing Africa today; and Sitoé, a young girl embodying the hopes and aspirations of Africa's future.
Music played a prominent role, with performances by Kiné Lam, Baaba Maal and Kya Loum, who performed the Senegalese national anthem, alongside several leading figures from the local hip-hop scene, including Daara J Family and Dip Doundou Guiss. Traditional Senegalese wrestling, known as làmb, was another highlight of the show, with around 100 wrestlers performing the bakk, the ritual of dances and gestures that precedes bouts, accompanied by the beat of drums. The country's rich folklore was also showcased through the Simb, the traditional mock-lion performance, and Senegalese folk dances.
The heartbeat of the continent was brought to life by 1,115 participants, including 628 dancers, 373 extras, 54 performers, 32 actors and 25 artists, with an entirely pan-African cast, 98% of whom were Senegalese. The ambitious production required 250 hours of rehearsals and the creation of almost 1,500 costumes, all made in Senegal over more than 5,000 hours of work, with contributions from around 100 local artisans and professionals. A further 350 people were involved in production, artistic direction, logistics and the technical management of the show. It was a magnificent celebration under the motto "Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates", placing the values of inclusion and participation firmly at its heart.
Among those watching from the stands were the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who would later officially declare the Games open, and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, the first woman and first African to lead the IOC.
One of the most emotional moments of the evening came with the arrival of the Olympic flame inside the stadium, accompanied by some of Senegal's sporting greats, including El Hadji Amadou Dia Ba, silver medallist in the 400m hurdles at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. The subsequent lighting of the cauldron marked the beginning of this historic African edition of the Youth Olympic Games.
A total of 2,655 young athletes are expected to compete at the Games, across 25 sports and 153 medal events held in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. Among them are the 46 Italian athletes representing Italy Team, ready to embrace a unique experience, compete against the world's best young talents and proudly wear the Italian colours on the Olympic stage.
Tomorrow, Sunday 1 November, the first medals of Dakar 2026 will be awarded, with the Italians aiming to secure their first podium finishes in judo and swimming. Following the excitement of the Opening Ceremony, which took place after the first day of competition, the Games will move into full swing with the first finals and the opportunity for the Italian athletes to claim the delegation's first medals.
The Ceremony at the Stade Abdoulaye Wade, usually the home of the Lions of Teranga, as the stadium hosts Senegal's national football team, thus marks the beginning of two weeks of competition, excitement and encounters between different cultures, embracing the values of friendship, respect and excellence. A new chapter in Olympic history, written on African soil for the very first time.
Dakar 2026, nella notte dell'Africa sfila il Tricolore con Moro e Trevisan
