Youth Olympic Games end in Senegal with organizers touting Africa’s hosting capability

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Youth Olympic Games ended on Friday in Senegal , with organizers hailing Africa’s first Olympic event as further proof of the continent’s ability to host major international competitions. Nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 competed across 25 sports and 153 medal events over two weeks in the capital Dakar, nearby Diamniadio and the beach town of Saly. kAmp 4=@D:?8 46C6>@?J 7@C 2E9=6E6D 2?5 56=682E:@?D E@@< A=246 @? uC:52J 6G6?:?8 2E E96 v2>6D G:==286 :? s:2>?:25:@[ H:E9 E96 6IE:?8F:D9:?8 @7 E96 7=2>6]k^Am kAm“x E9:?< E92E 6G6CJ@?6 42>6 96C6 H:E9 46CE2:? 6IA64E2E:@?D 2?5 x E9:?< E9@D6 6IA64E2E:@?D 92G6 366? 72C 6I466565[” x?E6C?2E:@?2= ~=J>A:4 r@>>:EE66 !C6D:56?E z:CDEJ r@G6?ECJ[ 2 7@C>6C +:>323H62? DH:>>6C[ D2:5 @? %9FCD52J]k^Am kAm#682C5:?8 p7C:42’D 23:=:EJ E@ 9@DE E96 v2>6D[ r@G6?ECJ D2:5i “x E9:?< H6’G6 D9@H? E96 H@C=5 E96 42A23:=:EJ E92E H6 92G6 2?5 ?@H H6 ?665 E@ 49@@D6 E@ E2<6 E92E 7@CH2C5]Qk^Am kAm%9C@F89@FE E96 4@>A6E:E:@?D[ 4C@H5D C@2C65 H96?6G6C $6?682=6D6 @C @E96C p7C:42? 2E9=6E6D D4@C65 @C H@?]k^Am kAmqFE E96 46=63C2E:@?D 2=D@ F?7@=565 282:?DE 2 4@DE\@7\=:G:?8 4C:D:D[ H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D6?682=\J@FE9\@=J>A:4\82>6D\4@DE\@7\=:G:?8\3e3g2_gg5e54cg74gf6ffa`cb5f47`2bQmD@>6 $6?682=6D6 BF6DE:@?:?8 DA6?5:?8k^2m @? E96 v2>6D[ H9:=6 5:DA=2465 3FD:?6DD6D D2:5 AC6A2C2E:@?D 9FCE E96:C =:G6=:9@@5D] pFE9@C:E:6D A@:?E65 E@ :>AC@G65 :?7C2DECF4EFC6[ EC2:?:?8 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C =@42= 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am kAmr9:?2 7:?:D965 H:E9 E96 >@DE 8@=5 >652=D[ `g[ 7@==@H65 3J y2A2? H:E9 `` 2?5 #FDD:2 H:E9 6:89E] %9C66 p7C:42? 4@F?EC:6D 42>6 ?6IEi t8JAE H:E9 D:I[ 2?5 tE9:@A:2 2?5 $6?682= H:E9 7:G6 6249]k^Am kAmq6249 HC6DE=:?8’D ~=J>A:4 563FE 3C@F89E A2CE:4F=2C AC:56 E@ $6?682= H96C6 HC6DE=:?8 :D 2 ?2E:@?2= DA@CE 2?5 :ED DE2CD 4@>>2?5 9F86 7@==@H:?8D] u6>2=6 HC6DE=6C t=:D236E9 s:2EE2[ `e[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^J@FE9\@=J>A:4\82>6D\HC6DE=:?8\cbc_af``ed43g2`hd5fb`34aad3b26e4QmH@? $6?682=’D 7:CDE ~=J>A:4 8@=5k^2m] w6C 4@>A2EC:@ED H@? EH@ >@C6 HC6DE=:?8 8@=5D]k^Am kAm~E96C ~=J>A:4 563FED :?4=F565 32D632==d[ 2 D:>A=:7:65 G6CD:@? @7 32D632==[ 2?5 E96 r9:?6D6 >2CE:2= 2CE HFD9F]k^Am kAm#FDD:2VD 2E9=6E6D 4@>A6E65 F?56C E96:C ?2E:@?2= 7=28 7@C E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:@4\@=J>A:4D\CFDD:2\a_ag\gaa74fch`h6h_ha5dd`7_4dfdc_g37g5Qm7:CDE E:>6 2E 2? ~=J>A:4 6G6?Ek^2m D:?46 E96 7F==\D42=6 :?G2D:@? @7 &^2CE:4=6^:@4\@=J>A:4D\CFDD:2\DFDA6?565\F^2CE:4=6^J@FE9\@=J>A:4D\C67F866D\225d_hab3ea_5d37a32ec_7dh5bfhgcdQmC67F866 E62> 4@>A6E65k^2m 2E E96 *@FE9 ~=J>A:4D 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6[ H:E9 D:I 2E9=6E6D 32D65 :? z6?J2 2?5 &82?52[ 4@>A6E:?8 :? 2E9=6E:4D[ ;F5@ 2?5 E266D 42>6 2D p7C:42? 4@F?EC:6D :?4C62D:?8=J D66 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D6?682=\J@FE9\@=J>A:4\82>6D\@A6?:?8\46C6>@?J\fcg5ae_g6g_7b457453e7a4h3_272_d`QmDA@CED 2D 2 E@@= 7@C 5:A=@>24Jk^2m 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E[ 2?2=JDED D2J] $@FE9 p7C:42[ H9:49 DE2865 E96 >6?’D D@446C (@C=5 rFA :? a_`_[ :D 2>@?8 4@F?EC:6D :? E2=A:4 v2>6D]k^Am k9C ^m kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^DA@CED\27C:42Qm$66 7F== p! 4@G6C286 @7 p7C:42? DA@CED 96C6k^2mk^Am