The International Olympic Committee has announced the selection of UAE national show jumping rider Omar Al Marzooqi among a new group of Athlete Role Models for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Senegal as the first Olympic sports event to take place on African soil.
Marzooqi became the first Emirati athlete to win a medal at the Youth Olympic Games when he claimed silver in individual show jumping at the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2018, with the participation of around 4,000 athletes from 206 countries.
The full list now comprises 36 athletes, including Olympic champions, medallists and Olympians, representing 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports. They will support and guide the young athletes taking part in Dakar 2026.
The Athlete Role Models will provide sporting and mental guidance, participate in workshops and interactive sessions, and share Olympic experience and sporting values with the next generation.
The list features prominent names from around the world, including French judo champion Clarisse Agbegnenou, Algerian gymnastics champion Kaylia Nemour, Brazilian skateboarding star Rayssa Leal, and Egyptian table tennis player Dina Meshref.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, with broad participation from young athletes from across the world.
The selection forms part of a programme designed to inspire the young athletes participating in the Games and transfer Olympic experience and sporting values to the next generation ahead of the highly anticipated event in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, later this year.
