Dakar:The Thai youth national team is gearing up for the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games, "Dakar 2026," scheduled from October 31 to November 13, 2026, in Dakar, Senegal. The event will feature 25 sports, with 153 gold medals available.
According to Thai News Agency, Thailand will send 28 athletes to compete in 11 sports, including athletics, badminton, beach handball, beach volleyball, boxing, judo, rowing, cycling, windsurfing, aquatics (swimming), and table tennis.
Two Thai swimmers, "Aen-Aen" Nattakrita Leekitchakorn and "Noddy" Supakorn Jaikla, have qualified for the games. Nattakrita, a silver medalist in the 50m breaststroke at the 2026 Asian Age Group Swimming Championships, aims to finish in the top three. Supakorn, competing in the 400m freestyle, is focused on achieving personal bests. Their coach, Isareepatch Metheesart, has been preparing them thoroughly.
Mr. Thanawich Thoskull, Secretary-General of the Aquatic Sports Association of Thailand, stated that both swimmers are training with their clubs and are well-prepared for the challenges of the Youth Olympic Games. The association aims to assess their potential against elite athletes from the United States, Australia, and China. These experiences will also prepare them for the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia in 2027.
The Athletics Association of Thailand has secured two quotas for "Frame" Tanakorn Daengmanee and "Baibua" Pichayapa Suk-uea. Tanakorn, a gold medalist at the 2025 Asian Youth Games, aims for a top-three finish in the men's pole vault. Pichayapa, who recently won medals at the 2025 World School Games, will compete in the women's 400-meter race, also targeting a top-three placement. Both athletes are undergoing intensive training at the National Athletics Training Center in Pathum Thani Province.