Olympic History Made in Dakar: RECAF-Jeu Participants Win Gold
Last year, Elisabeth Diatta and Ndèye Khady Ndèye Diatta were two of seven former RECAF-Jeu participants selected to represent Senegal at the Youth Olympic Games. This weekend, they made history.
Competing on home soil at Dakar 2026, the two young women won gold medals in beach wrestling. Elisabeth, 16, became the first Senegalese athlete ever to win a gold medal at an Olympic or Youth Olympic Games event. Just a day later, Ndèye, 17, added Senegal's third gold medal of the Games with an undefeated run through the competition.
For everyone connected to Right To Play, it was an emotional moment.
"I want to tell girls that wrestling isn't just for boys"
Elisabeth's journey began long before the podium. Born stateless after her parents fled conflict in Guinea-Bissau, she grew up without citizenship or official documents. Through RECAF-Jeu, she found a safe space to train, build confidence, and discover her talent. With support from her family, community, local authorities, and the project, she was able to secure her Senegalese nationality and official identification documents, opening, the door for her to compete internationally and ultimately represent Senegal on the world stage.
Ndèye's story is equally inspiring. Many will remember her speaking on behalf of youth in the presence of Senegal's President during the opening ceremony. This weekend, she stood atop the podium as a Youth Olympic champion and shared a message for girls everywhere: "A girl is capable of doing everything she wants to do if she really wants."
Their victories are part of a much bigger story. Seven former RECAF-Jeu participants qualified to represent Senegal at the Youth Olympic Games, and six of them were girls.
Over five years, RECAF-Jeu helped thousands of young people in Senegal build confidence, leadership skills, and opportunities through sport and play. While the project has now ended, moments like these remind us that the impact of investing in young people continues long after a program closes.
To Elisabeth, Ndèye, Fatou, and all the young athletes who represented Senegal at Dakar 2026: we are incredibly proud of you.
Congratulations, champions! Your achievements belong to you, and your success is inspiring a new generation of girls to dream bigger, aim higher, and believe in what is possible.
"A girl is capable of doing everything she wants to do if she really wants."