The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced the 15 athletes selected to represent Team GB at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
Taking place in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November 2026, Dakar 2026 will be the first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil, bringing together around 2,700 young athletes from across the world. Team GB's young athletes all aged between 14 and 18, will compete in 7 sports: archery, badminton, boxing, coastal rowing beach sprint, fencing, gymnastics, and sailing.
Among those selected are some of Great Britain’s most promising young sporting talents, including Mohammed Belbouab, the No.1 ranked Cadet foil fencer in Europe, and European U17 badminton champion Rajvi Parab.
Louie Walker and Lexi Gill will make history as the first Team GB coastal rowing beach sprint athletes with the discipline set to make its Olympic debut at LA 2028.
Six gymnasts make up the largest group of the delegation, with Helena Finc, Jenitha Johnson, Jamie Reyner-Corbett, Uzair Chowdhury, Ben Porter and Lucas Scully selected for Dakar 2026 YOG. Finc, Johnson and Chowdhury bring previous multi-sport Games experience after representing Great Britain at the Skopje 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival, while the group has enjoyed a series of strong performances at domestic and international level.
Fifteen-year-old East London sailor Ruby Webb will also represent Team GB, alongside archers Archie Christopher and Jasmine Harris, who both made their international debuts at the European Youth Championships in Rome, earlier this year.
Finally, boxers Lily Bassett and Micheal Maughan were the first athletes named to represent Team GB at Dakar 2026 earlier this year.
Rajvi Parab (Badminton) said: "This is my first multi-sport event, and I am so excited to get started! Getting my Team GB kit and meeting the team has made it feel real now and I am so proud to be representing Team GB for the first time."
Lucas Scully (Gymnastics) said: ''It feels quite surreal. It’s been my dream for years to compete at an Olympic event, so to have that dream become a reality is incredible. I can’t put into words how grateful I am to have the opportunity to represent my country at an Olympic event. It really is a dream come true. I’m looking forward to the whole experience - soaking it all in, enjoying it with my friends, making memories, and hopefully making my family and country proud.''
Lexi Gill (Coastal rowing beach sprint) said: ‘’It feels absolutely incredible to be representing Team GB. I am proud too - I just cannot wait to represent my country. It felt amazing when i got the news that i had made the team and being here it finally feels real.’’
Two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee leads the Team GB delegation as Chef de Mission, supporting the next generation of British athletes as many of them experience their first major multi-sport Games. Brownlee, who won individual Olympic gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, will bring his experience of competing on the world's biggest stage to the young athletes heading to Dakar 2026.
Alistair Brownlee, Chef de Mission Dakar 2026 YOG, said: “I want to say a huge congratulations to all 15 athletes selected to represent Team GB at Dakar 2026. As Chef de Mission, I’m incredibly proud to welcome them to the team and excited to support them as they take this next step in their sporting journeys.
"I had the chance to meet the team at our Team Summit this past weekend and it was fantastic to see their excitement and hear about their ambitions for the Games. I’m really looking forward to supporting them throughout the experience and, most importantly, I hope they embrace every opportunity, enjoy every moment and make memories that will stay with them for years to come.”
A NatWest spokesperson said: “NatWest welcomed Team GB’s young athletes to its London office ahead of the Youth Olympic Games, where they collected their kit and received key information ahead of the event. As a proud partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, NatWest is pleased to support the next generation of British sporting talent on their journey.
"Their dedication, resilience and ambition is truly inspiring, and we're proud to support them on their journey whilst encouraging customers, communities, and businesses across the UK to take positive steps towards their own goals.''
TEAM GB ATHLETES – DAKAR 2026
Gymnastics
• Helena Finc (15)
• Jenitha Johnson (14)
• Jamie Reyner-Corbett (15)
• Uzair Chowdhury (16)
• Ben Porter (16)
• Lucas Scully (16)
Fencing
• Mohammed Belbouab (16)
Badminton
• Rajvi Parab (16)
Sailing
• Ruby Webb (15)
Archery
• Archie Christopher (17)
• Jasmine Harris (17)
Boxing
• Lily Bassett (16)
• Micheal Maughan (16)
Beach Sprint
• Louie Walker (16)
• Lexi Gill (17)
Team GB Chef de Mission: Alistair Brownlee