Nigeria Sends 15 Junior Swimmers to Dakar Ahead of Youth Olympic Games

Posted : 26 August 2026

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games will enter another phase when a 15-member junior swimming team competes at the 2026 Africa Aquatics Zone 2 Junior Swimming Championship in Dakar, Senegal, from August 28 to 30.

The Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF) has selected 11 female and four male swimmers for the championship, which is expected to attract young athletes from 32 countries across Africa.

The Dakar competition is being used as an important assessment opportunity for the Nigerian swimmers as they prepare for the Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for October 30 to November 12.

Rather than treating the championship as an isolated competition, NAqF has incorporated it into a wider preparation programme aimed at giving the junior swimmers regular exposure to competitive action before the Youth Olympic Games.

The Nigerian contingent will depart the country in batches, with some members scheduled to travel on Tuesday, August 25, while other athletes will leave on Wednesday and Thursday.

The selected swimmers are India Brown, Omolola Akinsanmi, Atinuke Alfred-Olajide, Boluwatife Alfred-Olajide, Oluwatofunmi Ibidapo, Aviva Hibbert, Kristabel Chisa Oldeide, Ivanna Itoandon, Toluwalase Agarau, Tireniolu Olutodimu Nedd, Olutise Temilolu Nedd, Aidan Dumuje-Abili, Demilade Ayemowa, Oluwatimilehin Olaiya and Udoh Daniel Emediong.

Christopher Ezemegwalu will serve as the team’s coach.

Following the Dakar championship, the swimmers will continue their build-up with the “Swim to the Future” competition in September before competing at the National Intermediate Games in October.

The programme means the athletes will remain active in competition almost every month from August through October, providing them with opportunities to improve their fitness, race management, confidence and mental readiness.

For NAqF, the strategy is aimed at ensuring the young swimmers arrive at the Youth Olympic Games with sufficient competitive experience and exposure to different levels of opposition.

The federation believes that sustained participation in both international and domestic competitions will help accelerate the development of the junior team while laying the foundation for a stronger generation of Nigerian swimmers.

The Dakar championship will therefore serve not only as a continental test for the 15 swimmers but also as another important step in Nigeria’s broader plan to prepare and develop athletes capable of competing successfully on the international stage.

NAqF has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained investment in junior swimming through regular competition, structured preparation and greater international exposure as it works towards building a more competitive future for the sport in Nigeria.

Nigeria Sends 15 Junior Swimmers to Dakar Ahead of Youth Olympic Games

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