IOC chief Coventry looks forward to wushu debut at Dakar Youth Olympics

Kirsty Coventry, president of International Olympic Committee (IOC), attends the IOC Executive Board meeting ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 30, 2026. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

DAKAR, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said Thursday she was looking forward to watching wushu make its debut as an official competition sport at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and learning more about the Chinese martial art.

Speaking at a joint press conference held by the IOC and the Dakar 2026 organizing committee, Coventry welcomed the sport's inclusion in the program in response to a question from Xinhua.

"I'm looking forward to going and watching wushu and learning more about it. And I know it's a very important sport for China, but also for many other countries around the world," she said.

Coventry said the Youth Olympics had long provided a platform for introducing sports and disciplines to new audiences, citing the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires, where spectators had opportunities to watch, learn about and experience different sports.

"And we look forward to seeing that with wushu," she added.

Dakar 2026 organizing committee president Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye also welcomed wushu's inclusion, saying it reflected the growing diversity of the Youth Olympic sports program.

Ndiaye said Senegal's wushu federation was working to promote the sport among local communities and encourage greater participation.

While football has traditionally dominated public interest in Africa, other sports, including wushu, are increasingly attracting attention, he said.

Ndiaye also praised cooperation between Senegal and China, expressing satisfaction with the expanding scope of bilateral exchanges and the friendship between the two countries.

The Dakar Youth Olympic Games will run from October 31 to November 13, marking the first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa.

Wushu competitions are scheduled for November 1-3 at the Dakar Expo Center, with medals to be awarded in men's and women's changquan combined and taijiquan combined events.