Sport: Gambia
Key Facts
- Result. Gambia’s Mustapha Jadama won silver in the boys’ 400 metres on Monday 9 November in 46.93 seconds.
- Podium. Saeed Omar of the United Arab Emirates took gold in 46.40; a Chinese sprinter took bronze in 47.16.
- Where. Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, a multi-sport event for teenage athletes.
- Why it matters. Gambia’s Olympic committee says it is the country’s first Olympic medal at youth or senior level.
Young sprinter Mustapha Jadama of Gambia, a small West African country, won silver in the boys’ 400 metres at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Monday 9 November 2026, according to the Gambian National Olympic Committee (GNOC), which sends the country’s athletes to the Games. GNOC calls it the country’s first Olympic medal at youth or senior level.
What Happened in Dakar
Jadama finished second in the boys’ 400 metres final on Monday 9 November in 46.93 seconds. Saeed Omar of the United Arab Emirates won gold in 46.40 seconds, and a sprinter from China took bronze in 47.16.
GNOC said Jadama ran through pain to reach the podium. We could not open the organisers’ own results sheet, so the podium and times rest on GNOC and on Gambian and UAE reports.
Why a Youth Silver Matters for Gambia
The Youth Olympic Games are the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) multi-sport Games for teenage athletes, and Dakar 2026 is the first Olympic event ever held in Africa. More than 2,600 athletes are competing between 31 October and 13 November.
GNOC says Jadama’s medal is Gambia’s first at any Olympic level, a claim that rests on GNOC alone. We have not checked it against the IOC’s records.
What It Means for You
For US readers, Dakar is the first Olympic sporting event held in Africa, and the Games run until 13 November. Our report on Team USA’s squad and our Dakar 2026 guide explain who is competing and where.
Travellers heading to Senegal this month can find events, music and street art in our Dakar guide for November. For Gambia, the result shows how one fast young sprinter can lift a national sports story.
What Is Not Known
It is not known how old Jadama is, how serious his pain was or whether the government plans any public honour for him. We also could not check the times against the organisers’ official results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mustapha Jadama?
He is a young Gambian sprinter who won silver in the boys’ 400 metres at Dakar 2026 in 46.93 seconds. We could not confirm his age or club.
Has Gambia won an Olympic medal before?
GNOC says this is Gambia’s first Olympic medal at youth or senior level. We have not checked that against the IOC’s records.
When do the Dakar 2026 Games end?
The Games end on 13 November 2026, the IOC says. Competition began on 31 October in Dakar and the Senegalese towns of Diamniadio and Saly.
Sources
International Olympic Committee, Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, schedule and facts · Gambian National Olympic Committee, race report, 10 November 2026
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