At just 17, Hassan Anwar is stepping into an international boxing competition with an ambition that extends beyond winning a medal. The young fighter is carrying Somalia’s name into a historic sporting event as Africa welcomes the Olympic movement for the first time.
Anwar, who developed his boxing skills in Mogadishu, is representing the country in the 50-kilogram category at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal. His appearance places Somali boxing before a global audience at a competition bringing together some of the world’s most promising young sporting talents.
For the teenager, simply earning a place among the competitors is already a personal victory. Speaking to Dawan ahead of his departure, he indicated that he would consider the experience worthwhile irrespective of how he performed in the ring.
“I’m leaving tomorrow to take part in the Games. Once I enter the competition, I will be content whether I win or lose,” Anwar said.
His attitude reflects the significance of the opportunity for a young athlete whose journey began in the Somali capital and has now taken him to an international stage.
Behind that opportunity is coach Mohamed Ahmed Abdullahi, who has spent an extended period preparing the teenager for the competition. Training at Mecca Gym on Fourth Street in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood, the pair have been working towards a chance to demonstrate what Somali athletes can achieve against international opposition.
Abdullahi believes the competition offers an opportunity to challenge perceptions about the country’s sporting potential. He said their presence in Dakar would be about making a statement through performance.
“We will show people who we are,” the coach said.
The coach also dismissed the prospect of being intimidated by particular opponents during the tournament. Asked whether there were fighters they would prefer to avoid in the opening rounds, he maintained that a boxer must be prepared to face any challenger.
A historic stage for Africa
Anwar’s competition comes during an edition of the Youth Olympic Games that carries significance well beyond the sporting contests. Dakar 2026 is the first Olympic sporting event to be staged on African soil, giving the continent an opportunity to host a major international gathering of emerging athletes.
The competition officially opened on Saturday, October 31, at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, Senegal. It runs until November 13 and features approximately 2,700 athletes aged between 14 and 17, competing across 25 disciplines for 153 medal events.
Somalia’s flag was among those represented at the opening ceremony, placing the country alongside participating nations from across the world.