Leemisa Thuseho
LESOTHO’S young athletes, Katiso Liau and Matebatso Lelaka, both 16, are set to make history when they compete at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, the first edition of the Games to be held on African soil.
Dubbed Dakar 2026, the Games will run from 31 October to 13 November, with Liau and Lelaka set to compete in the 3000 metres race. They will be the only athletes representing Lesotho at the event and are expected to depart for Senegal on Monday.
Dakar 2026 is expected to attract approximately 2700 athletes from more than 200 national delegations, with 25 sports featuring on the competition programme.
The sports include athletics, swimming, 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, Baseball5, boxing, road cycling, equestrian jumping, artistic gymnastics, beach handball, judo, coastal rowing, rugby sevens, table tennis and taekwondo, among others.
The Games will also feature a Refugee Olympic Team composed of athletes based in Africa for the first time, reflecting the International Olympic Committee’s commitment to supporting refugees and displaced persons through sport.
The Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) said it had attempted to include athletes from other sporting codes, including swimming and boxing, but they failed to meet certain standards set by their respective international federations.
Team Lesotho Chef de Mission, Moroke Mokhotho, is optimistic that the two athletes have prepared adequately and stand a good chance of winning a medal.
“The team is ready, and I am confident that we can bring something home,” Mokhotho said.
He said the athletes had tested their form at the 2026 Eswatini National Youth Games in August, where Lelaka won gold in the 1500 metres, while Liau claimed silver in the same event and bronze in the 800 metres.
Mokhotho said the duo had been in camp at Durham Link and training at Setsoto Stadium since Friday as they put the finishing touches to their preparations.
Their coach, Leeto Ramorara, is also confident that the two athletes have demonstrated their ability to make the country proud.