The Linguères Welcoming the Youth Olympic Flame to Dakar
One hundred Senegalese women selected from across generations and fields welcomed the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic flame near Place du Souvenir Africain.
A group of 100 Senegalese women known as Linguères was chosen by the Dakar 2026 organizing committee for the official welcome of the Youth Olympic flame, according to reporting published by Olympics.com.
The women gathered near Place du Souvenir Africain on Sept. 12 to receive the flame as it arrived in Senegal. Their selection brought together participants from different generations and professional fields.
The title “Linguère” carries historical importance in Senegal. Dakar 2026 organizing committee president Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye discussed the role the women represent, connecting their participation in the ceremony with a tradition of female leadership and influence.
The flame had been lit two days earlier on Sept. 10 at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. Its journey from Greece to Senegal connected the customary Olympic flame ceremony with the first Olympic sporting event scheduled to take place on African soil.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are set to run from Oct. 31 through Nov. 13. Organizers expect approximately 2,700 athletes to participate.
The competitors will range from 15 to 18 years old. The program includes 25 sports, giving young athletes from participating nations an opportunity to compete across a broad Olympic schedule.
The ceremony involving the Linguères was designed to place Senegalese women at the center of the flame’s arrival. Rather than serving only as spectators, the selected participants formally welcomed one of the Olympic movement’s most recognizable symbols.
Place du Souvenir Africain provided a setting connected to memory and African identity. The choice of location reinforced the significance organizers attached to hosting an Olympic event on the continent for the first time.
Olympics.com reported the number of women selected, the ceremony date, the flame’s origin and the principal details of the coming Games. The stated athlete total reflects organizers’ expectations ahead of the event.
The welcome ceremony marked an early public milestone in the lead-up to the Games. Competition is scheduled to begin on Oct. 31 and continue through Nov. 13 across the 25-sport program.