# Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics: Tirthank Pegu in men's 100m butterfly heats
_India's swimmer competes on the opening day of the first Youth Olympics held on African soil._

- Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in)
- Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/dakar-2026-youth-olympics-tirthank-pegu-in-men-s-100m-butterfly-heats
- Author: Sapna Pandey, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/sapna-pandey)
- Published: 2026-11-01T09:57:59.956Z
- Section: Olympics
- Topics: India, Swimming, Tirthank Pegu, Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games
## Summary

Tirthank Pegu is scheduled to swim in the men's 100m butterfly heats at Dakar 2026 on Sunday. The Games officially opened on 31 October in Senegal with around 2,700 young athletes aged 14 to 17.

## Key takeaways

- Dakar 2026 is the first Olympic sporting event hosted on African soil.
- India sent a 17-member contingent to the Youth Olympic Games.
- Tirthank Pegu will compete in the men's 100m butterfly heats on day one.
- The final of the men's 100m butterfly is also slated for the same day.
- Dhinidhi Desinghu and Dev Ruparelia were India's flagbearers at the opening ceremony.

## Article

Around 2,700 young athletes began competing at Dakar 2026 on Sunday, as the first Olympic sporting event held on African soil got under way in Senegal. The Games will see young athletes, aged between 14 and 17, representing more than 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) across 25 sports and 153 medal events spread across eight venues in Dakar.

## Background

' International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry and Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye led the opening ceremony, welcoming close to 3,000 athletes to the fourth edition of the youth sporting event and the first to be held on African soil.

India sent a 17-member contingent, with swimmer Tirthank Pegu scheduled to take part in the men's 100m butterfly heats on the opening day of competition.

## Competition

India's athletes will begin their campaigns across five events on the opening day. Ruparelia will feature in the men's singles badminton group stage, while Tanvi Patri will take the court in the women's singles.

In swimming, Tirthank Pegu is scheduled to compete in the men's 100m butterfly heats, with the final also slated for the day.

Other countries, including the Philippines, Uganda, Argentina, Mexico, and Guatemala, are also participating in the Games, with their athletes competing in various sports such as swimming, wushu, rowing, and table tennis.

## Quotes

'I hope to do my best here, because these are the YOG and it's already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here,' said Jamesray Mishael Ajido, a 17-year-old swimmer from the Philippines. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino expressed confidence in the preparations of the young Filipino delegation, saying 'We know that our young athletes have prepared themselves for these YOG and we're hoping for the best results.'

## What happens next

The men's 100m butterfly final takes place on Sunday after the heats at the Complexe Tour de l'Ceuf pool. Indian swimmers continue their programme across the opening day of competition.

The wushu finals are also scheduled on Monday, with Riannah Chantelle Coleman making her YOG debut in the women's 200-meter breaststroke heats. The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will run until November 13, with the closing ceremony taking place at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium.

### Related on Apex Sports News

- [Dakar Youth Olympics mark Africa's first Olympic sporting event](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/dakar-youth-olympics-mark-africa-s-first-olympic-sporting-event)
- [Davids and Reed to carry South African flag at Dakar 2026 opening ceremony](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/davids-and-reed-to-carry-south-african-flag-at-dakar-2026-opening-ceremony)

### Sources

- [revsportz.in](https://revsportz.in/dakar-2026-youth-olympics-africa-welcomes-the-world-as-games-begin-in-senegal/)
- [fastbreak.com.ph](https://fastbreak.com.ph/ajido-polo-open-ph-campaign-in-dakar-youth-olympic-games/sports-galore/)
- [Photo: Bayram A, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_Stadium,_Ashgabat_Turkmenistan.jpg)
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