Sixteen-year-old badminton star Ramiah Bukenya will carry Uganda’s hopes on the court at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, the first Olympic event ever staged on African soil.
Bukenya is Uganda’s sole badminton representative at the Games, which run from 31 October to 13 November 2026. She will compete from 1 to 5 November.
She is currently sharpening her game in Cairo, Egypt, competing at the All-Africa Junior (U-19) Badminton Championships at Cairo Stadium.
Her coach, William Kabindi, described the Cairo campaign as a key part of her preparation for Dakar, giving her valuable match experience against strong international opposition.
The team returns to Uganda on 19 October, giving her time to rest and fine-tune before heading to Senegal.
With Uganda allocated just one badminton slot, selectors turned to the country’s top-ranked junior, and Bukenya emerged as the clear number one.
She earned her spot through consistent results on the local circuit, appearances at the World Junior Championships in China, and a string of international tournaments. At home, she has been a cornerstone of Mbogo High School’s dominant teams in the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) competitions.
“I am so excited to represent Uganda at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. It will be an amazing opportunity to wear the Ugandan flag, play against the best young players from different countries, learn from them, and grow as an athlete,” said Bukenya.
“For me, the Youth Olympics is more than a competition. It is a boost and encouragement that will push me to dream bigger and prepare for the senior Olympic Games in the future.”
Bukenya joins a 25-athlete Ugandan delegation named by the Uganda Olympic Committee, competing across seven sports: athletics, badminton, road cycling, rugby sevens, swimming, table tennis, and rowing beach sprints.
