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Dakar Youth Games Swim Schedule Shifts to Morning Finals

World Aquatics changed the Youth Olympic Games swimming program after elevated water temperatures in Dakar, Senegal.

Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Swimming

Empty indoor competition swimming pool with blue lane ropes and starting blocks, morning light on the water surface, a sense of heat in the air.
World Aquatics moved the swimming finals at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games to mornings and dropped the 800m freestyle after elevated water temperatures prompted the changes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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World Aquatics adjusted the swimming schedule for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, which run from November 1 to November 6. The 800m freestyle was removed, and all 400m events will be timed finals swum in the mornings.

Why it matters

Elevated water temperatures in the competition and training pools, linked to recent high outdoor temperatures in Dakar, prompted the changes. The adjustments are intended to protect athletes and provide better conditions for participants.

The Youth Olympic Games return after an eight-year absence with 307 swimmers from 154 countries entered, and forecast daily highs of 85-87°F (29-31°C) with overnight lows near 80-81°F (27°C) throughout the meet. The exact pool water temperatures and whether the schedule changes will be modified before competition begins remain unreported.

The players

World Aquatics

World Aquatics is the international governing body for aquatic sports, responsible for setting competition rules and schedules for events such as the Youth Olympic Games swimming program.

Rhyan White

Rhyan White is a US swimmer who became one of the first Youth Olympics alumni to make the US Olympic Team in swimming in 2021.

Kate Douglass

Kate Douglass is a US swimmer who became one of the first Youth Olympics alumni to make the US Olympic Team in swimming in 2021.

The details

The preliminary session start time was moved from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. local time, and the 800m freestyle was removed from the program. A swimmer entered in the 800m may be permitted to enter another event on an exceptional basis.

Timeline

  1. November 1: Youth Olympic Games begin in Dakar, Senegal, with swimming competition starting.

  2. November 1-6: Pool portion of the Youth Olympic Games held in Dakar.

  3. 2018: Previous Youth Olympic Games held with 390 athletes competing.

  4. 2021: Rhyan White and Kate Douglass made the US Olympic Team as Youth Olympics alumni.

Season Trajectory

The Dakar meet marks the return of the Youth Olympic Games after an eight-year absence, following the 2018 edition that held 390 athletes. Its swimming program also carries forward the pathway that Rhyan White and Kate Douglass used when they became the first Youth Olympics alumni to make the US Olympic Team in swimming in 2021.

The 800m freestyle is no longer on the program, so swimmers entered in that event need to plan around the removal. All 400m events are now timed finals in the mornings, which changes the schedule for athletes and viewers following the meet.

The takeaway

Schedule changes tied to heat can shift competition timing for an entire meet, so readers following Dakar results should check the revised morning finals times. Track the updated program before each session to avoid missing events.

What happens next

The Youth Olympic Games swimming competition begins November 1, 2026, and runs through November 6 in Dakar, Senegal.

Further reading

Follow more coverage in our Swimming section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by SwimSwam.

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