Kenyan swimmers are competing at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Jeremy Rieck, Macrine Kolombo and Neo Olengo turn to their remaining races, while judoka Rael Kuloba ends her campaign.
Kenyan swimmers Jeremy Rieck, Macrine Kolombo and Neo Olengo missed 100m final places at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. They now turn their attention to their remaining events.
Rieck competed first, clocking 59.15 seconds in heat four of the men’s 100m backstroke. However, the time did not earn him a place in the final.
Kolombo also missed out after finishing the women’s 100m breaststroke in one minute 23.33 seconds in heat two. Meanwhile, Olengo recorded one minute 8.49 seconds in the men’s 100m breaststroke but failed to advance.
Kenyan swimmers target remaining races
After her race, Kolombo said low energy had affected her performance, which fell short of her expectations. However, she remained hopeful of better results in her next events.
Kolombo’s remaining programme includes the women’s 200m individual medley, followed by the 50m breaststroke. Olengo will next contest the men’s 50m freestyle before closing his campaign in the 50m breaststroke.
Rieck, meanwhile, reached the men’s 100m butterfly final on the opening day. He will return for the 50m butterfly, then finish his programme with the 50m backstroke.
Isabelle Mwangi has yet to begin her competition in Dakar. She will open with the women’s 50m freestyle before concluding her campaign in the 200m freestyle on Friday.
Kuloba takes lessons from judo exit
In judo, Rael Kuloba’s campaign ended after a repechage defeat at the Dakar Expo Centre. She faced Boubacar Ousamane of Côte d’Ivoire in the second round of the repechage.
The contest offered Kuloba another chance to progress following her round-of-16 loss to Viktoria Grigoryan. Although she took a 1–0 lead in a closely fought encounter, she could not secure victory.
Kuloba described the experience as a valuable learning opportunity in her new 52kg weight category. She also identified pace, timing and technical skills as areas to improve when she returns home.
Her coach, Johnson Kirimo, praised her effort and progress despite the defeat. He said the experience would provide an important foundation for her continued development in the category.
