As the countdown begins for the first Olympic event ever hosted on the African continent, the Caribbean nation of Barbados has officially locked in its team for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, set to run from October 31 to November 13 in Senegal. The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) made the long-awaited announcement during an official briefing this Monday, confirming that the island’s contingent will compete across three distinct disciplines: judo, swimming, and triathlon.
Barbados holds an unbroken participation record in every previous iteration of the Summer Youth Olympic Games, having sent athletes to the debut 2010 edition, the 2014 gathering, and the 2018 event held in Buenos Aires. For the 2026 Games, three up-and-coming young athletes earned their spots on the team. Deann Walton, a rising judo talent, will compete in the women’s under-52 kilogram division. Swimmer Victor Ashby will line up for the men’s 100-meter butterfly event, while Alexis Lashley is set to contest the women’s individual sprint triathlon.
Notably, all three competitors are part of the second cohort of BOA’s groundbreaking development initiative, Youth Project Podium (YPP). The targeted development program receives financial and strategic backing from the Amarone Charitable Trust and Panam Sports, with a core mission to nurture emerging Barbadian athletic talent, refine their competitive skills, and equip them with the tools to succeed at elite international competitions.
The full Barbadian delegation will include six supporting personnel alongside the three competing athletes. Three senior team officials will travel to Dakar: Gail Craig-Archer will serve as Chef de Mission, Kwayne Dalrymple will act as the team’s physiotherapist, and Kendia Brathwaite has been named Press Attaché. Each athlete will also have their personal coach in attendance: Ian Weithers will accompany Walton for judo, Harold Lewis will support Ashby in swimming, and William Lashley will travel with triathlete Alexis Lashley.
Reflecting on the team’s months of preparation ahead of the global showcase, Chef de Mission Craig-Archer shared that the entire journey has been an incredibly moving experience for the organization. “Watching our athletes and coaches pour their effort into preparing for Dakar has been deeply moving. These games offer our young competitors a rare chance to test themselves against the best while connecting with peers from across the globe in an atmosphere built on mutual respect. We are heading to Senegal as one unified team, ready to compete with heart and dignity,” she said.
BOA President Sandra Osborne emphasized that the delegation’s participation in the historic Games is rooted in the organization’s long-term commitment to youth athletic development. “Participation reflects a commitment to helping young people fulfil their potential and ensuring they have equal opportunities to succeed,” Osborne explained, noting that the team’s journey serves as a powerful reminder for young Barbadians that their ambition can carry them far beyond the island’s borders.
“Sport has a unique way of opening doors and broadening horizons for our youth. As our team steps onto the world stage in Senegal, they embody the aspirations of all our young athletes, male and female, who are driven by dedication and purpose. It is also not lost on us that this will also be the first time that an Olympic event will be hosted on the African continent, and we are pleased to be competing at this historic event,” Osborne added.
Originally scheduled to take place in 2022, the Dakar Youth Olympic Games were postponed amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 edition will bring together more than 4,000 athletes aged 17 and under from 206 National Olympic Committees, with a competition schedule that includes 25 medal sports, 10 non-medal engagement activities, and 153 total medal events spread across two weeks of competition in the Senegalese capital.