Elisabeth Diatta and Maguette Diop won Senegal’s first two Youth Olympic gold medals on Saturday, 7 November, as beach wrestling made its debut at the Games. Diatta defeated Japan’s Reisa Kojima in the girls’ 55kg final at Saly Beach West. Diop followed with a victory over Azerbaijan’s Nihad Suleymanli in the boys’ 80kg final. The results gave the host country two of the four beach wrestling titles decided on the opening day.

Diatta’s victory came against the reigning under-17 world champion. The Beach Wrestling World Series, United World Wrestling’s beach wrestling circuit, reported a 5–1 final score and noted that Diatta had finished fourth at this year’s under-17 world championships. Associated Press described her victory as Senegal’s first gold at an Olympic event. The medal was earned at the Youth Olympics, the competition for young athletes being staged in Senegal, and belongs to that event’s record.

A challenge decides the second final

The second gold turned on a review. The federation’s beach wrestling report said Suleymanli was initially awarded three points in the 80kg final. Diop challenged the decision and the review awarded those points to him instead. The revised decision sealed a 4–0 victory. Suleymanli had already won two under-17 world titles, according to the federation report, while Diop had finished fourth at the under-17 worlds.

The review mattered because bouts are short and a high-scoring throw can decide the contest. United World Wrestling’s event guide says a throw that puts an opponent on their back earns three points and ends the bout. A wrestler can also score by pushing an opponent outside the circle. In that format, an overturned call late in a decisive exchange can change the result immediately. Diop’s appeal was therefore part of the competitive story, alongside the move itself.

The opening day also produced a medal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Stephie Tsimba Manzanza defeated Azerbaijan’s Gunel Karimli 3–1 for bronze in Diatta’s division, according to the federation’s results report. In the other finals, Venezuela’s Wilfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez won the boys’ 60kg title against Iran’s Amirali Domirkolaei, while China’s Zhao Min took the girls’ 75kg gold against India’s Taniya. Senegal also had two athletes in bronze-medal bouts. Babacar Mbaye finished fourth in the boys’ 60kg, as did Elisabeth Ebedo Diatta in the girls’ 75kg. The home team therefore had a contender in a medal bout in each of the four opening weight categories.

A home result with a second day still to come

United World Wrestling scheduled eight weight categories across two days at Saly. Sunday’s programme covers the girls’ 45kg and 65kg and the boys’ 70kg and 90kg categories. The federation announced 96 wrestlers representing 52 National Olympic Committees for the two days. Those figures describe the event field and help put the two host wins in context. Saturday’s four finals accounted for half the beach wrestling titles on the programme.

RIM’s earlier preview of beach wrestling’s Youth Olympic debut explained how the new discipline fits into the Games. Saturday’s results add a separate chapter to that story. The first day provided both a breakthrough in the girls’ event and a boys’ final whose outcome depended on the review process. For spectators encountering the format for the first time, the results also showed how quickly an exchange can change a contest on sand.

The medals give Senegal two athletes to follow after the Games. Both entered the finals with under-17 international experience and faced opponents who had already won at that level. A Youth Olympic title gives each wrestler another result to build on. What follows will depend on their own development and on the opportunities available as they move into older age groups. For now, the opening day record is clear. Diatta took the first gold for Senegal and Diop added the second on the same beach.

*Featured image: AI-generated conceptual illustration for RIM.*

Why this matters

Diatta and Diop gave Senegal its first two Youth Olympic titles while competing at home in a new discipline on the programme. Their wins offer younger wrestlers visible examples of progression from under-17 international competition. Tsimba Manzanza’s bronze also gave Central African supporters a podium result to follow alongside the host country’s breakthrough.

Sources

Topics: Dakar 2026 · Senegal · Beach wrestling · Elisabeth Diatta · Maguette Diop · Youth Olympic Games

← All news & insights