▪️ Only 10 African countries took part in the Youth Olympic Qualification tournament in Bangkok, and this means fewer representation in this year’s Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal
March 23, 2026
With the Futures U19 Cup boxing tournament over, focus now turns to how many boxers from Africa will feature in the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13.
The International Olympic Committee in conjunction with World Boxing will forward the quotas of the boxers selected to respective National Olympic Committees provided the boxers were in the Bangkok tournament.
Only 10 African countries took part with Morocco topping the continent by finishing 12th overall on four bronzes and therefore likely to get more quotas than any other country in Africa since the overall performance will be the criteria for a ticket to Dakar.
While Senegal sneaked to the semis and won a bronze through Mariame Sow at middleweight, their disastrous performance cannot be overlooked.
The West Africans were represented by 15 boxers – 8 male and 7 female – but none of them won a single fight. It will therefore be interesting to see their quota numbe for the Games they’re hosting.
North African countries are likely to get more quotas than the Sub-Saharan African countries because they did better with 10 boxers in the quarter-finals and four in the semis. Kenya’s Sonia Atieno and Senegal’s Soda Faye, both 65 kg, were the only boxers from Sub-Saharan Africa in the quarters.
It’s a cut-throat competition on the road to Dakar given that only 120 boxers – 60 male and 60 female – in five weight categories each for male and female boxers, will take part in the Youth Olympics.
Africa have themselves to blame for being represented by a skeleton number of boxers yet over 15 countries have already been affiliated to World Boxing, the body now in charge of entering boxers for the Olympics.
The eligible boxers are those born between November 14, 2008 and December 31, 2009.
Boxers from Europe, Asia and USA are likely to get a big chunk of the quotas for doing well in the Bangkok tournament, the qualifier for the Youth Olympics.
Uzbekistan won the Futures U19 Cup followed by rivals Kazakhstan, USA, India, Ukraine and France in the top six.
