Members of the Refugee Olympic Team competing at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games pose for a photograph in Dakar, Senegal, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026 -

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Africa

Refugee athletes from camps in Kenya and Uganda are competing at the Youth Olympics in Senegal, marking the first time a refugee team has taken part in the event.

The team, created by the International Olympic Committee and managed by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, includes athletes competing in judo, taekwondo and track and field.

Sprinter Florence Masumbe said she was proud to represent her country and hoped to win medals. She also wanted to show that refugees can succeed, adding that the team’s athletes have the talent to achieve great things.

Judo athlete Arno Yafunga said training helped him stay away from gangs and other harmful situations in Nairobi. He said he focuses on training and overcoming challenges.

Yafunga previously competed with the first Refugee Olympic Team to take part in the Youth Olympics, held in Dakar and the nearby cities of Diamniadio and Saly. His coach, Arnold Yafunga, urged young refugee athletes not to give up, saying that being a refugee does not mean the end of their dreams.

The first Refugee Olympic Team competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The Senegal event is the first Youth Olympics to feature a refugee team.

Refugee team competes at Senegal’s first Youth Olympics

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