United World Wrestling (UWW) has confirmed that Kenya has already secured two qualification slots for the upcoming 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, a 13-day global showdown set for October 31 to November 13 in Senegal.
Speaking to Radio Generation on Friday, Kenya Amateur Wrestling Association Secretary General Erick Walucho confirmed that Kenya will be represented by Jemimah Nakhumicha and Calvin Nyatuka.
“We received the good news from UWW on Thursday evening that Jemimah Nakhumicha (65kg) and Calvin Nyatuka (70kg) have qualified for Dakar,” said an excited Walucho.
Nakhumicha had an impressive run last year, winning gold and silver medals at the Africa Beach Games and the freestyle wrestling championships in Casablanca. Her performance saw her rise to the top ranking in Africa’s beach wrestling.
Nyatuka, competing in the 70kg category, finished fifth and sixth in continental competitions but claimed gold at the East Africa Amateur Wrestling Championships held in Nairobi last year.
“Of course, our aim is to see if we can qualify more youngsters for Dakar. Between now and then, we still have a lot of work to do,” Walucho added.
KAWA is set to head to Naivasha for the second leg of the National Amateur Wrestling League this weekend. The individual ranking championship will also serve as trials for the African tournament scheduled to take place in Alexandria from April 19 to May 5, 2026.
The event in Egypt presents another opportunity for Kenya to earn more qualification points for Dakar. The team will include seniors, juniors, and cadets (Under-17), selected from KAWA’s 20 clubs and schools across the country.
The federation had earlier conducted its first selection in February during the opening leg of the national league in Nairobi, a two-day event that attracted over 100 wrestlers across different weight categories and age groups.
As the Africa Beach Wrestling Championships continues to offer qualification opportunities for cadets, Kenya is also banking on several athletes to secure more slots.
In the men’s category: Dan Kegode, Clinton Omari, Galfin Kalabayi, and Vincent Waweru.
In the women’s category: Joy Lichuma, Nancy Sophia, Janet Ingwesi, and Joy Shalyng.
The Dakar Youth Olympic Games will be the first Olympic event held on African soil, bringing together 2,700 athletes aged 15 to 18. The games will feature 25 sports across three host hubs — Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.