JORDAN SET FOR HISTORIC PARTICIPATION AT DAKAR 2026 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES

Jordan is preparing to make history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with a record eight sports represented as the Kingdom sends 13 promising young athletes to compete on the global stage.
The 4th Youth Olympic Games will take place in Senegal from October 31-November 13, marking a significant milestone as the first Olympic event to be hosted on the African continent.
Jordan's participation across eight sports will be its most diverse in Youth Olympic history, while the 13-strong squad equals the country's record number of athletes at Buenos Aires 2018.
The Kingdom will compete in taekwondo, boxing, swimming, beach wrestling, athletics, fencing, triathlon and judo, reflecting the continued development of Jordanian sport and the emergence of talented young athletes across a growing range of disciplines.
All 13 athletes have secured their places through the established qualification and selection criteria, earning the opportunity to represent Jordan against some of the world's most promising sporting talents.
Taekwondo will have the largest Jordanian representation, with four athletes competing: Layan Al-Rawashdeh, Zainab Bseiso, Abdullah Al-Zawahreh and Ahmad Al-Dahamsheh. The team will be guided by head coach Faris Al-Assaf and coach Mohammad Al-Assaf.
In boxing, Abdullah Toghoz and Tala Hussein will represent the Kingdom under the guidance of coach Omar Al-Majali, while swimmers Michael Al-Our and Serena Mehyar will compete under coach Mohammad Al-Radaideh.
Adam Abu Farea will fly the Jordanian flag in beach wrestling, supported by coach Yahya Abu Tabeekh, while runner Qusai Al-Ramadeen will compete in athletics under the supervision of coach Atta Al-Balawi.
Jordan's fencing challenge will be led by Celine Abu Obaid, coached by Wojtek Adrian Van Barneveld, while Maria Al-Haddadin will represent the Kingdom in triathlon under coach Elias Nawarh.
Completing the squad is judoka Huda Washah, who will compete under the guidance of coach Belal Al-Qleilat.
Jordan enters Dakar 2026 with a proud record of participation in every previous edition of the Youth Olympic Games, having won three medals, all in taekwondo.
At the inaugural Games in Singapore in 2010, Dana Haider claimed silver and Yazan Al-Sadeq secured bronze, establishing Jordan's presence on the Youth Olympic stage.
Eight years later, Zaid Mustafa added another bronze medal at Buenos Aires 2018, continuing the Kingdom's success in the sport.
The Dakar Games will offer Jordan's emerging athletes an opportunity to build on that legacy, gain valuable international experience and demonstrate the country's sporting potential across a broader range of disciplines than ever before.
Originally scheduled for 2022, the fourth edition was postponed until 2026 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Approximately 2,700 young athletes from around the world are expected to compete across 25 sports at Dakar 2026, making it a landmark celebration of youth sport and Olympic values.
For Jordan, the Games represent more than an opportunity to compete for medals. With its largest-ever spread of sports and a new generation of athletes ready to make their mark, Dakar 2026 signals another important step in the Kingdom's ambitions to develop sporting excellence and inspire future champions.