Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has been named a Global Ambassador for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, taking on a mentorship role as Senegal prepares to host the first Olympic sporting event on African soil.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the appointment on September 29, naming the two-time Olympic marathon champion alongside Brazilian skateboarding star and two-time Olympic medallist Rayssa Leal as Global Ambassadors for the Games.
Kipchoge will use his experience from 24 years in elite sport to interact with young athletes from around the world, offering guidance as they compete in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
The 41-year-old said the appointment gives him an opportunity to pass on lessons from his career to the next generation.
“I was really happy – it made my day – to become a Global Ambassador for the Games. I’ve been in the sport for 24 years; it’s my time to give back to the next generation. And the youth in Dakar are exactly the next generation I want to walk with.”
Kipchoge said he plans to meet athletes during the Games and engage them beyond their performances on the field.
“When I go to Dakar, I’ll make sure I meet young athletes from across the world – meet them, have an honest talk, mentor them, and look at what the future of sport, and the world, looks like.”
The appointment gives Kipchoge a prominent role in an event that carries particular significance for Africa.
Dakar 2026 will become the first Olympic sporting event to take place on the African continent. The Youth Olympic Games will run from October 31 to November 13, 2026, bringing together about 2,700 athletes aged up to 17 across three host zones in Senegal.
For Kipchoge, the continental significance of the Games is part of what makes the assignment important.
“Dakar 2026 is a huge event on our young continent – something we’ve long waited for here.”
He added that hosting the first Olympic sporting event in Africa would leave a lasting impression on young people.
“Being the first, it will stay vivid in the minds of young people and the general public for a very long time.”
The Kenyan also expects Dakar 2026 to give young athletes an opportunity to interact with competitors from different cultures.
“It’s about mixing with the world in order to understand it. That will be the best thing for us, to realise the world is all around us.”
Beyond his wider ambassadorial duties, Kipchoge will also mentor the Refugee Olympic Team, which will make its first appearance at a Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
The IOC says the Refugee Olympic Team represents an important milestone in its efforts to support displaced athletes through sport.
The young athletes have been preparing at a training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya, with Kipchoge already participating in mentorship sessions.
His sessions have focused on areas beyond athletic performance, including discipline, education, personal values and the meaning of success.
“Mentoring the Refugee Team means a lot to me. I talked to them about the importance of having the right values in your life, your education and your sport – the real recipe for success, and what success means in sport and in life.”
The IOC says six young refugee athletes will compete at Dakar 2026, giving them an opportunity to compete internationally while representing athletes affected by displacement.
Kipchoge has also urged young refugees to view sport as a platform through which they can demonstrate their abilities.
“The advice I love to give refugees is this: sport is life. For them, sport is a real opportunity – it gives them a platform to showcase themselves and to fight for their space.”
“My message to these young people is that this chance is the key. It’s their time to fight for their space – and that space is happening in Dakar. Let’s fight for it, show your ability, in the universal language of sport.”
Dakar 2026 will take place across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, with the three locations sharing hosting responsibilities during the Games.
