![Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino (center), Secretary-General Atty. Wharton Chan (third from left), and Chef de Mission Rocky Samson (right) welcome the first batch of Filipino athletes and coaches upon their arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Senegal on Thursday night. [POC Media Pool]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Untitled-Design1178-400x200.png)
POC chief Abraham Tolentino warns of tough competition as nine Filipino athletes prepare for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
Swimmers Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Riannah Chantelle Coleman will carry the Philippine flag at the Dakar Youth Olympics opening ceremony on Oct. 31.
Swimmer Jamesray Ajido will lead nine Filipino athletes at Dakar 2026 as the Philippines seeks its first Youth Olympic Games medal since 2018.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is leading the creation of the Southeast Asian Plus Youth Games, a new grassroots multi-sport platform designed to prepare young athletes for the Asian Youth Games and the Youth Olympic Games.
International film star Omar Sy has been appointed ambassador of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, lending his voice to the first Olympic event ever staged on African soil.
The Dakar 2026 Learning Academy, designed to recruit and train over 400 young professionals for the Youth Olympic Games, officially launched its training program, marking a key step toward building local expertise in Senegal.