Story by ZBC Reporter
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched a global call for creatives and Olympic fans to design the obverse side of the medal for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
The competition, which runs from 2 September to 7 October 2025 via a dedicated platform on Olympics.com, gives participants the chance to leave their mark on Olympic history.
The winning design will feature on medals awarded to athletes at the Games in Senegal.
Candidates will have access to a toolkit with design specifications, guidelines and rules. Entries will be judged on five criteria: creativity, originality, relevance to the YOG narrative, feasibility, and the written description accompanying the design.
A jury made up of prominent figures, including IOC Dakar 2026 Coordination Commission Chair Humphrey Kayange OLY, Gangwon 2024 medal design winner Dante Akira Uwai, IOC young leaders and reporters, as well as Dakar 2026 ambassador Elzo Jamdong, will review applications and make recommendations to the IOC Executive Board.
The reverse side of the medal will be created by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, featuring Senegalese cultural elements alongside the YOG emblem.
Speaking on his own journey, Gangwon 2024 winner Dante Akira Uwai reflected on how the experience transformed his career and personal outlook, “A lot has changed since Gangwon. Many opportunities have opened up thanks to the medal design competition, but the most important change was internal, realising the transformative power of both art and sport.”
Since the initiative was first introduced at the Singapore 2010 YOG, young designers from around the world have contributed winning concepts, with more than 3,000 entries received for the Gangwon 2024 edition alone.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from 31 October, bringing together the world’s best young athletes under the age of 17 across three host cities; Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
