Ayo, the Dakar 2026 mascot! It was selected through a nationwide competition launched by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education. Open to middle- and secondary-school students, the competition received more than 500 entries from across all 16 academic inspectorates in Senegal. The initiative was aimed at promoting creativity among young people and strengthening their connection to the Games in the lead-up to the first Olympic event to be held on African soil. 16-year-old Ndeye Mariama Diop created the winning design, while 18-year-old Ndeye Khady Kristall Coumbassa created the name. 🙌 #Dakar2026 #YouthOlympics