DAKAR (Senegal) - The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will mark the first time that the quadrennial event has been held in Africa since its inception in 2010.
One of the multi-sport event's most popular attractions is the 3x3 basketball discipline, which has grown in popularity considerably on the continent in recent years.
Aimed at athletes under the age of 17, 3x3 Basketball tournaments for both genders will take place from November 6 to 9 at the Tour de l'Oeuf, alongside baseball, breaking, skateboarding and swimming events.
Five nations will represent Africa, welcoming 19 other countries.
A total of 24 athletes (12 women and 12 men) from African teams have now qualified for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
In the lead-up to the Youth Olympics, Dakar held a three-day training camp from October 6 to 9 for five countries, including both boys' and girls' teams from Senegal, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Uganda.
The Dakar 3x3 Camp served as preparation for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and it aimed to strengthen the high-performance pathway for athletes, coaches and 3x3 coordinators in Africa by providing quality training and competitive opportunities in the 3x3 discipline.
Among those attending the camp in Dakar in October were Brenda Ochieng from Kenya and Anes Hadjoudj of Algeria.
They discussed their experience of the camp and the upcoming 3x3 basketball tournament at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
"I am excited because competing against a strong team gives us a chance to learn and challenge ourselves. I know the competition will not be easy, but l truly believe that we are a strong team, all we need is to stay focused and determined," the 17-year-old Ochieng told FIBA.basketball.
Ochieng continued, saying: "This is a very special and proud moment for me as a player and, as an African. It shows that Africa has talent and deserves that opportunity to participate in the highest levels. Personally, it highly motivates me that one day l will become the best player and be the person whom others rely on saying l want to be like."
When asked to reflect on the 3x3 training camp held in the Senegalese capital a month before the 2026 Youth Olympic Ga, Ochieng insisted that it had been a valuable experience: "It gave me an opportunity to learn, improve and meet players from different backgrounds. I learned the importance of teamwork, communication, discipline and making quick decisions on the court. It motivated me to keep working hard, improve my weaknesses, and continue growing as a 3x3 basketball player."
Regarding the prospect of facing opponents from other parts of the globe, Ochieng said there was nothing to worry about. "Let's just go there and demonstrate what we did in training, because participating is a victory in itself."
Hadjoudj described taking part in the 2026 Youth Olympics as a milestone in the history of 3x3 basketball. He said: "It's a historic moment both for the continent and for our generation. As an African, I'm immensely proud to see the Youth Olympic Games coming to Africa for the first time. As a player, it gives me a unique extra motivation to represent our roots on this legendary stage."
The 6-foot-10 prospect insisted that the goal is clearly to aim for the top and show what Algerian basketball is capable of.
"We know the level will be extremely high, with some formidable nations, but it's exactly this kind of challenge that pushes us to surpass ourselves in training every day. The camp in Dakar gave us valuable benchmarks, both in terms of playing tempo and team cohesion. We've built solid foundations from it to be ready for game days."
The teams participating in the 3x3 basketball tournaments in Dakar are as follows:
Africa
Men - Senegal, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire Women - Senegal, Kenya, Egypt
Americas
Men - Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico Women - Chile, Mexico
Europe
Men - Germany, Latvia, Lithuania Women - Netherlands, France, Italy, Czechia
Asia-Oceania
Men - Mongolia, Singapore, Solomon Islands Women - China, Fiji, Chinese Taipei
FIBA