The Philippines’ roster for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games continues to take shape, with swimming adding two more promising names to the country’s growing delegation bound for Dakar, Senegal.
Philippine Aquatics Inc. Executive Director Anthony Reyes confirmed that Palarong Pambansa standouts Jamesray Ajido and Riannah Chantelle Coleman have officially qualified for the quadrennial meet, scheduled from October 31 to November 13.
Their inclusion raises the Philippine contingent to six qualified athletes as the country prepares to compete in the world’s premier multi-sport event for young athletes.
Ajido, 17, earned his place in the boys’ 100-meter butterfly, while 16-year-old Coleman secured a berth in the girls’ 100-meter breaststroke.
Both swimmers have steadily built impressive resumes at the grassroots and international levels.
Ajido first emerged as one of the country’s brightest young talents after winning a gold medal when the Philippines hosted the 11th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships in 2023.
He followed that performance with a silver medal in the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain last year, further strengthening his credentials on the international stage.
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SWIMMING FOR GOLD
The Philippines will have two young swimmers in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after Riannah Chantelle Coleman and Jamesray Ajido booked their spots in the regional competition.#2026YouthOlympicGames pic.twitter.com/FhK136OaCT
— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) July 8, 2026
Coleman, meanwhile, continues to dominate local competition. Her nomination came after she successfully preserved her Palarong Pambansa records in the girls’ 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke during this year’s national school games in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
With the addition of the two swimmers, the Philippines now has six athletes qualified for Dakar 2026.
Joining Ajido and Coleman are athletics standouts Pi Durden Wangkay and Naomi Marjori Cesar, cyclist Maritanya Krog, and wushu taolu athlete Angel Polo.
The Philippine Olympic Committee had earlier announced plans to send a nine-athlete delegation to Senegal.
According to the POC, the country is also expected to receive universality slots in gymnastics and windsurfing, completing its projected allocation for the Games.
Dakar 2026 will be a historic edition of the Youth Olympic Games as it marks the first Olympic event ever to be staged on the African continent. Around 2,700 young athletes from 206 delegations are expected to compete across three host sites—Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
Swimming competitions are scheduled from November 1 to 6, 2026, with athletes required to meet World Aquatics’ age eligibility standards and have appeared in the organization’s world rankings during the qualification period.
The Youth Olympic Games have become an important stepping stone for future Olympians, giving emerging athletes an opportunity to compete against the world’s best in their age group while gaining valuable international experience ahead of the senior Olympic cycle.
For the Philippines, the growing delegation reflects the continued development of its next generation of elite athletes across multiple sports.
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