Ministry of Sports has selected 147 promising athletes under the age of 16 years as part of early preparations to represent Rwanda at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Dakar, Senegal. This comes after a week-long talent identification competition that concluded in Nyanza District, Southern Province, on Saturday, June 28. The audition event brought together 870 boys and girls from across the country to compete in various sports including football, basketball, volleyball, handball, taekwondo, athletics, and cycling. The young athletes were drawn from schools participating in the Isonga-AFD sports development program, as well as academies operating in Rwanda like Paris Saint-Germain Rwanda, Bayern Munich, and the Tony Football Excellence Programme (TFEP). The process was coordinated in collaboration with national sports federations, who helped identify talented young athletes for further advanced evaluation. After arriving in Nyanza, they were grouped into mixed teams by national coaches, who then observed their performance and selected the most outstanding prospects. So far, 147 players have been shortlisted. They include 36 in Football, 28 in Volleyball, 20 Basketball, 28 in Handball, 22 in Athletics, eight in Taekwondo and 5 in Cycling (2 girls and 3 boys) The selection process is still ongoing, and more athletes will be scouted in disciplines such as swimming, which was not included in this initial phase due to logistical limitations. Speaking at the event, François Régis Uwayezu, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Sports, emphasized that the initiative is not only focused on preparing a team for the 2026 Games but also on developing a pipeline of young talents through broader programmes like AFD-powered Isonga. “We are building teams to represent Rwanda at the Youth Olympics in Dakar 2026. Our main objective has been achieved, and we will continue tracking these kids closely,” he said. “Those who were not selected for the national team will still benefit from the Isonga AFD program, so no talent will be lost.” Salama Umutoni, the vice-President of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, expressed confidence in the country’s medal prospects. “We’ve made significant progress toward our goal. These kids are motivated and talented. If they keep this momentum, I believe we’ll win medals at the Youth Olympics,” she said. The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, set for October 31 to November 14, 2026, will be the first Olympic event ever held on African soil, taking place in Dakar, Senegal.
