They are proudly raising the country’s flag in the global meet.
Last Saturday, October 31, the fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games officially kicked off in Dakar, Senegal through an opening ceremony at Stade du Sénégal (Stade Abdoulaye Wade), which included a parade of nations.
This edition makes history as Senegal also became the first African country to be awarded the hosting duties of an Olympic sports event.
The Philippine flag was carried around the stadium by swimmers Riannah Chantelle Coleman & Jamesray Mishael Ajido.
Together, the two form part of the nine-athlete lineup assembled for the games, which includes Pi Durden Wangkay and Naomi Marjorie Cesar in athletics; Maritanya Krog in road cycling; Hilarrion III Palles and Tchelzy Mei Maayo in artistic gymnastics; Angel Polo in wushu; and Jade Justiniane for windsurfing.
Meanwhile, also present at the said ceremony were Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Secretary General Atty. Wharton Chan.
The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is one of the flagship events held every four years by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for athletes aged 17 and below.
The sports programme, according to the IOC’s website, is “mainly based on that of the Olympic Games” and includes new sports, disciplines and formats, such as breaking, sport climbing, 3-x-3 basketball, 3-x-3 ice hockey and mixed gender and mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) events.
It started with the 2010 games in Singapore, which was later followed by editions in Nanjing, China (2014) and Buenos Aires, Argentina (2018).
A separate Winter Youth Games also run alongside it and is mounted on the same year as the Summer Olympic Games.
