Olympic Flame Lit in Athens for Dakar 2026 Youth Games
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The handover ceremony marks the beginning of the first-ever Olympic event to be hosted on the African continent.
The road to Africa's first Olympic event officially began on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, with the flame handover ceremony for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. According to reporting from Yahoo Sports, the event took place at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens, Greece.
During the ceremony, Greek actress Katerina Misichroni, appearing as the High Priestess, lit a torch from the cauldron to initiate the process. The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games represent a historic milestone as the first time an Olympic event will be held in Africa.