The Philippines is preparing to send a new generation of athletes to the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, with several promising young talents already securing nominations for the prestigious international event.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino confirmed that cyclist Maritanya Krog and track and field standouts Pi Durden Wangkay and Naomi Marjorie Cesar are among the first athletes lined up to represent the country in Dakar later this year.

The quadrennial Youth Olympic Games will run from October 31 to November 13 in Dakar, Senegal, gathering some of the world’s best athletes aged 15 to 18. The International Olympic Committee allocated nine Universality Places to the Philippines across several sports disciplines.

Tolentino shared the update during the inaugural Philippine National Speed Cubing Open 2026 held at the Tagaytay City Combat Sports Center, an event organized by the POC alongside the Asian Mind Sports Association.

Young stars emerge

Krog earned her nomination after delivering strong performances in regional and continental competitions over the past year. The young cyclist placed sixth in the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain and consistently dominated local competitions, including the Batang Pinoy and National Cycling Championships.

She also impressed during the Asian Cycling Confederation Track Championships staged at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome in March, narrowly missing the podium in the women’s elimination race.

Tolentino, who also serves as PhilCycling president, believes Krog has the tools to compete internationally, although he acknowledged that further improvements in her preparation will be necessary ahead of the Youth Olympics.

The athletics contingent will be led by Wangkay and Cesar, both of whom also delivered breakthrough performances during the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain last October.

Wangkay captured the gold medal in the men’s 200 meters and continued his momentum by winning another gold in the same event during the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok last December. Cesar, meanwhile, secured a silver medal in the girls’ 800 meters event behind a competitor from China.

Both athletes are currently 17 years old and are viewed as key prospects for the future of Philippine athletics.

More slots available

Aside from athletics and cycling, the Philippines is expected to field athletes in artistic gymnastics, swimming, windsurfing, and wushu through the Universality Places granted by the IOC.

The allocations include one male and one female artistic gymnast, one male windsurfer, one female taijiquan athlete in wushu, and two swimmers competing in the men’s 100-meter butterfly and women’s 100-meter breaststroke.

Tolentino revealed that six more athlete nominations are still being finalized by their respective national sports associations. The POC is expected to complete the roster in the coming months as preparations intensify for the international competition.

The Youth Olympic Games serve as a major platform for rising athletes to gain international experience and showcase their potential on a global stage. For the Philippines, the upcoming edition in Senegal presents another opportunity to develop future stars capable of eventually representing the country in the Olympic Games.

With several young athletes already making their mark in regional tournaments, expectations are steadily building as the country prepares for another important chapter in its grassroots sports development program.