5 Utahns to compete at Youth Olympic Games in IOC events hosted for first time on African continent

First new continent Olympic event on its way in 2026. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

DAKAR, Senegal — The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Thursday announced the 2026 U.S. Youth Olympic Games Team that will compete at the Youth Olympic Games from Oct. 31-Nov. 13 in Dakar, Senegal. Dakar 2026 will mark the fourth edition of the summer Youth Olympic Games and a historic first for the Olympic Movement, becoming the first Olympic event held on the African continent. 

Team USA’s delegation will include 29 total athletes representing 12 sports and ranging in age from 13 to 18.  

The sport of Rugby Sevens will have five Utahns playing on the team:

1. Sophia Johnson from Orem
2. Hunivaololo Folau from West Jordan
3. Eseta Moala from Millbrae
4. Lavinia Lomu from Orem
5. Luisa Moala from Millbrae

Utah has a history with the YOG sending Park City’s Josie Johnson who won a silver medal in Ski Jumping before going on to compete in the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. Additionally, Ashley Farquharson slid Luge in the YOG before later winning a broze medal at the Milan Cortina Games. Her Luge teammate Matt Greiner competed in both the YOG and the Olympic Games, and in Skeleton Sliding, the Park Brothers of the UOP represented USA in the YOG.

 “The Youth Olympic Games are an important milestone in the development of young athletes, giving them the opportunity to represent Team USA and gain valuable experience competing on the international stage,” said Daniel Smith, Director of Summer Games at the USOPC and Team USA Chef de Mission for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in a statement. “Dakar will be a special moment for the Olympic Movement, and we’re excited for our athletes to embrace the opportunity, build connections with young athletes from around the world and proudly represent the United States on this historic stage.” 

 Team USA will compete in 12 sports, including archery, badminton, breaking, equestrian, rugby sevens, rowing, taekwondo, triathlon, skateboarding, volleyball, beach wrestling and wushu (martial arts). Competition will take place across Dakar, Diamiandio and Saly, Senegal. 

The Games will welcome 2,700 of the world’s top young athletes competing across 151 events. The program will feature an equal number of men’s and women’s events, with 72 each, along with seven mixed-gender events. 

Dakar 2026 will be the first Summer Youth Olympic Games since Buenos Aires 2018, ending an eight-year gap between editions after the event was postponed from its originally scheduled 2022 date. In Buenos Aires in 2018, Team USA earned 18 medals, including six golds, five silvers and seven bronzes. U.S. athletes also contributed to five additional podium finishes in mixed-NOC events. 

Since the Youth Olympic Games began in 2010, 577 U.S. athletes have competed across the Summer and Winter editions, with 264 competing on the summer side and 313 competing on the winter side. Across all YOG rosters, 89 athletes have gone on to represent Team USA at the Olympic or Olympic Winter Games.