DAKAR : Oman’s youngster swimmer Hamed al Hasani named as Oman’s national flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Saturday, leading the Sultanate’s delegation at a landmark edition of the event — the first ever to be staged on African soil. The ceremony will take place at Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, a modern city located around 30 kilometres from Dakar. With a capacity of 55,000 spectators, the stadium will welcome athletes, officials and guests from across the world for the official start of the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6.30 pm local time (10.30 pm Oman time), with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry among the distinguished guests expected to attend. Hamed, who represents Oman in aquatics, will have the honour of leading the national contingent during the athletes’ parade. His selection as flagbearer adds a special dimension to his first Youth Olympic Games appearance, ahead of his participation in the men’s 400m and 800m freestyle events.

The Omani delegation at the ceremony will include Engineer Khalfan bin Saleh al Naabi, Oman Olympic Committee Board Member and Head of Delegation, H.E. Rashid bin Ali bin Humaid al Badi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Republic of Senegal, representatives of the Omani Embassy in Dakar, and members of the delegation’s administrative and medical teams.

The opening ceremony is expected to run for around 90 minutes, with a programme designed to celebrate Senegalese identity and the rich cultural diversity of Africa. Organisers are preparing a large-scale production featuring around 11,000 performers, including 700 dancers, bringing together music, dance and visual displays.

Under the official motto, “Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates”, the ceremony aims to present Africa’s cultural heritage and its vision for the future to a global audience. French actor Omar Sy, an ambassador for Dakar 2026, has also lent his voice to the event, describing young people as a source of light and hope.

Al Naabi arrives to lead Oman’s campaign

Meanwhile, Engineer Khalfan bin Saleh al Naabi arrived in Dakar on Friday to take charge of Oman’s delegation for the Games. Al Naabi, a member of the Oman Olympic Committee Board, will oversee the national team’s participation and follow up on the preparations and requirements of the athletes, coaches and support staff.

Swimming training halted over pool temperatures

Oman’s swimming preparations, meanwhile, were affected by a decision from the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee to cancel the morning training session scheduled for Friday, October 30, after an assessment found that pool water temperatures remained above the required standards. The cancellation was communicated to National Olympic Committee representatives and delegation leaders as a precautionary measure, with organisers stressing that athlete health and safety remained their top priority. Organisers also reviewed the operational arrangements and additional precautions required before training could resume. An afternoon session was initially considered, potentially with extended training hours to compensate for the lost morning session. However, any return to the pool remained subject to a further assessment and confirmation in coordination with World Aquatics.

The cancellation disrupted Hamed’s planned morning pool session under the supervision of Oman’s Algerian coach, Mohamed Bouguerra. Instead, the coaching team planned to use the available time for physical conditioning and fitness work to maintain the swimmer’s readiness ahead of his two freestyle events. Hamed is scheduled to compete in the men’s 400m freestyle on Sunday, followed by the 800m freestyle on Tuesday, with both races taking place at the Complexe Tour de l’Œuf.

Oman’s remaining athletes

Oman will also be represented in taekwondo and fencing as the competition programme progresses. Ziyad bin Ali al Balushi will compete in the men’s under-48kg taekwondo category on November 8 at the Iba Mar Diop complex in Dakar. Fencer Jana Al Sharji will conclude Oman’s participation when she takes to the piste in the women’s individual épée event on November 10 at Dakar Expo in Diamniadio.