Mustapha Jadama Makes History for The Gambia at Youth Olympic Games

Historic Achievement for Gambian Athlete

Dakar (Senegal), Nov 12: Mustapha Jadama, who affectionately referred to himself as the king of the track during his races in The Gambia, has now solidified that title with a silver medal in the men's 400m at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games held in Dakar. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the sporting history of his nation.

The Gambia, a small West African country nearly encircled by Senegal, had been waiting for over forty years to secure its first Olympic medal. Since debuting at the Los Angeles 1984 Games, the nation has participated in every Olympic event without reaching the podium. Additionally, Gambian athletes had not won any medals in the previous three Youth Olympic Games.

On Tuesday, Jadama ended this long-standing drought by finishing the race in 46.93 seconds, securing second place behind Saeed Omar from the United Arab Emirates, who clinched gold with a time of 46.40 seconds. This victory makes Jadama the first athlete from The Gambia to earn a medal at either the Olympic or Youth Olympic Games.

The news of his historic win quickly spread throughout The Gambia, with Jadama receiving congratulatory messages from many, including strangers. "One man even called me, but I didn't know the person," he shared with Olympics.com. "I was thrilled to receive that call from him."

After celebrating his remarkable achievement and spending quality time with fellow athletes in the Athletes' Village while exploring Dakar, Jadama is eager to return home and celebrate with his family. "My family has been calling me as well," he mentioned. "They said they are looking forward to celebrating with me."

For the young sprinter, who once proudly claimed the title of king of the track, this silver medal has granted him a more profound honor: a permanent place in the annals of Gambian sports history.

In other news, Senegal has advanced to the semifinals in both the men's and women's beach handball tournaments. The women's team secured their spot in the last four with a 2-0 victory over Croatia, winning the first set 24-20 and dominating the second set 30-16 in front of a home crowd at Saly Beach West.

Senegal will face Spain in the semifinals after Spain's 2-0 victory over Kenya. In other quarterfinal matches, France narrowly defeated China 2-1, while Uruguay triumphed over Mexico 2-0.

In the men's quarterfinals, Senegal also won against Thailand with a score of 2-0 (20-19, 20-16). Germany, Hungary, and Brazil have also progressed to the semifinals, with Germany defeating Puerto Rico 2-0, Hungary edging out Tunisia 2-1, and Brazil overcoming the Cook Islands 2-0.