Team Kenya’s beach wrestling representatives, Calvin Nyatuka Omweri and Jemimah Wanjala, have concluded their campaigns at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, taking away valuable international experience despite missing out on the medal positions.
The two athletes competed at Saly Beach West in the men’s 70kg and women’s 65kg categories, respectively, in what marked an important opportunity to test their abilities against some of the world’s leading young wrestlers.
In the men’s 70kg category, Omweri recorded one victory and two defeats in Group B. He opened with a 3–0 loss to Ukraine’s Mykyta Kuzmenko before falling 5–0 to Georgia’s Luka Makharadze. He concluded his group campaign on a positive note, defeating Hungary’s Mark Zemen 3–0 to register Kenya’s only victory in the competition.
Wanjala competed in Group A of the women’s 65kg category, where she faced a challenging field. She lost 4–2 to Spain’s Graciela Eningo, 4–2 to eventual gold medallist Yolayni Rosado of the Dominican Republic and 4–0 to India’s Antra.
While the results did not translate into medals, both athletes have identified important lessons from their first experience competing at the Youth Olympic Games.
Omweri said the competition had provided an opportunity to assess his abilities at the highest level and highlighted areas he intends to improve upon.
“Today was our first time competing on the Olympic stage. We have learned some things, and now we are going to push harder,” he said.
He also called for increased support and improved training facilities to help Kenyan wrestlers compete more effectively at international level.
Wanjala equally expressed optimism about the experience, describing the Games as an important learning opportunity.
“The Games have not been bad. I have gained experience and learned so much more. These are lessons I will take home and work on as I continue sharpening my skills,” she said.
Kenya Wrestling Federation Secretary General Erick Walucho described the athletes’ participation as a significant achievement, highlighting the importance of securing a place among the world’s leading young competitors.
He also noted the growing popularity of beach wrestling in Senegal, where the competition attracted considerable public interest.
“Beach wrestling, this being the first ever in the Olympics, has really pulled big crowds, even more than I expected. People are taking the sport seriously. It’s a big industry in Senegal,” Walucho said.
He encouraged Kenya to explore the opportunities presented by the sport, both in developing competitive athletes and creating employment opportunities for young people.
Walucho further emphasised the need to strengthen grassroots wrestling through the establishment of clubs, training structures and regular competitions across all 47 counties.
“The only lesson I have learned from this place is that you harvest what you have planted. It’s not easy. What people have invested, they have invested heavily. What we need to do is also invest to reach that standard,” he said.
He added that wider participation and sustained investment would be essential in building a stronger national wrestling programme.
As Team Kenya concludes its beach wrestling assignment in Dakar, the experience gained by Omweri and Wanjala provides a foundation for continued development as they look towards future international competitions.
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