The Philippines will officially send nine athletes to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) this October after the gymnastics association nominated two of its artistic athletes to the global competitions for athletes aged 15 to 18.

“They’re the rising stars of Philippine sports,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who just last Saturday elaborately launch what would be the feeder for future YOGs — the inaugural Southeast Asia Plus Youth Games — a well-attended event at Solaire Resort.

“We are hoping for a podium finish and of course, we are praying for the gold,” Tolentino said. “This is a fighting team and I believe they will do their best.”

Gymnasts Hilarrion Palles III (men) and Tchelzy Mei Maayo (women) will join athletics bets Pi Durden Wangkay (men's 200m) and Naomi Marjorie Caesar (women's 800m), swimmers Riannah Chantelle Coleman (women's 100m breaststroke) and Jamesray Mishael Ajido (men's 100m Butterfly), cyclist Maritanya Krog (women's road and individual time trial), wushu artist Angel Polo (women's Taijiquan combined) and sailing athlete Jade Justiniane (men’s windsurfing).

The Philippines only has one silver medal to show — courtesy of Filipino-Norwegian Christian Tio in boy's twin tip racing of kiteboarding in Buenos Aires — so far in the YOG that was first staged in Singapore in 2010 followed by Nanjing in 2014 and Buenos Aires in 2018.

Luis Gabriel Moreno is also on the YOG medalists list with a gold medal he shared with China’s Li Jiaman in archery’s mixed international team event in Nanjing.

The Senegal edition, which was delayed because of the pandemic, is scheduled from 31 October to 13 November.

A total of 2,700 athletes are competing in 25 sports in Dakar with taekwondo association secretary general Rocky Samson as Team Philippines’ chef de mission.