Thai Youth Athletes Ready for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics
Thai youth swimmers and athletics athletes say they are fully ready for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. The squad includes two swimmers, two pole vaulters and relay runners, and 28 athletes across 11 sports. They aim to compete against top nations and gain experience for future SEA Games.
The two Thai youth swimmers who have earned quota places are 'Ae-aeent' Natthakrita Lee Kitjakorn, a silver medalist in the 50-meter breaststroke at the 2026 Asian Age Group Championships, and 'Noddy' Supakhon Chai-ka, who specializes in the 400-meter freestyle. Their coach, Isripaphat Methi-sat, has prepared them thoroughly. Natthakrita aims to finish among the top three, while Supakhon seeks to achieve his personal best performance.
Coach 'Took' Thanawiwch Thotakul, secretary-general of the Thailand Aquatic Sports Association, said both athletes train with their home clubs and are already in good shape after year-round preparation. However, competing at the Youth Olympic level is considered a tough assignment; the association wants to send athletes to test and evaluate their abilities against leading competitors from the United States, Australia, and China, giving them valuable experience. The two swimmers will become key members of the senior Thai national team for the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia in 2027.
Meanwhile, the Thailand Athletics Association has also secured two quota places: 'Frame' Thanakorn Daengmani, a male pole vaulter who won gold at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, and 'Bai Bua' Pitchayapa Suk-ue, who recently competed in the women's 4x400-meter relay at the 20th Asian Games in Japan and holds gold medals in the women's mixed-distance relay (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m) and a bronze medal in the women's 400-meter dash at the 2025 World School Games in Serbia. Both athletes are training continuously at the National Athletics Training Center in Pathum Thani Province.
Thanakorn's goal is to place in the top three in the men's pole vault, while Pitchayapa aims to finish among the top three in the women's 400-meter dash. Both have trained intensively and are determined to deliver their best performance at the event.
