Passionate about sport and international competitions, Aïchatou Diop volunteered for Paris 2024 before joining the YOGOC. Her ambition: to serve her country, Senegal, and contribute to the success of the Dakar 2026 YOG.
In just a few months, the first ever Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa will take place in Senegal. This is a source of ‘great pride’ for Aichatou Adelaide Diop, who is committed to ‘giving her all’ to contribute to the success of the Dakar 2026 YOG, scheduled to take place from 31 October to 13 November.
A Senegalese woman in her thirties, she is currently a coordination assistant with the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC), in charge of the Complexe Tour de l'Œuf (CTO). Located in the heart of Dakar, in the Point E district, the venue will host the swimming, breaking and skateboarding events, among others.
A competitive swimmer during her teenage years and a former transport volunteer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, joining the YOGOC was an obvious and logical next step for Aïchatou Diop. ‘It's like being in the army: I signed up to serve my country without expecting anything in return,’ explains the Dakar native.
A clear path forward
Proud of her Senegalese origins, her favourite dish is white thieboudiene, ‘with everything in it: mussels, guedj,’ she insists. And her love for her country is nothing new: as soon as she had the opportunity, Aïchatou Diop flew the flag for Senegal.
The youngest swimmer to take part in the legendary Dakar-Goree race in 2003 – she was nine years old at the time – Aichatou spent her time in the pool until the age of 20 and was a member of the national swimming team for many years. ‘I wasn't a great swimmer, but I did compete a little,’ she recalls.
When she retired, the young woman devoted herself fully to her studies. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in management, she enrolled in a course in health and social studies. Coming from a family involved in this sector, she grew up convinced that she too would follow this path when the time came. ‘Ever since I was little, unlike many people who still don't know what they want to do later in life, I knew that I wanted to work in healthcare,’ says Aïchatou Diop.
Titulaire d’un BTS sanitaire et social, elle décide de se reconvertir en nutritionniste spécialisée dans le sport. Sur son temps libre, Aïchatou donne des cours de natation aux enfants et aux adultes.
“That's what sportsmanship is all about.”
Curious and eager to travel, she pursues her greatest dream every day: to actively participate in the organisation of international sporting events. ‘But my status as an athlete did not allow me to do so at the time,’ explains the young woman.
At the end of 2019, when she joined the Senegalese Olympic Academy, Aïchatou became more interested in sports and Olympic news. She follows all the major sporting events organised on the continent, such as the Africa Cup of Nations, and remains on the lookout for opportunities on an international scale. When she heard that recruitment for volunteers for the Paris Olympics was open, she immediately decided to try her luck.
Her application was accepted and Aichatou left for France to take part in the Paris 2024 Games as a volunteer at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. "Even if I hadn't been accepted, I would have gone. I would have found a way to go and take part. For me, that's what sportsmanship is all about: when I want something, I get it.”
A legacy for future generations
This boundless determination stems in part from a feeling of unfinished business with regard to her track record when she was still competing in swimming. ‘Since I couldn't be a great athlete, I tell myself that I can participate in international competitions from the other side, on the organisational side.’
With a wealth of experience as an athlete and volunteer, Aïchatou now intends to give her time and energy and pass on her skills to as many people as possible. ‘It's important to me, I'll have things to talk about later. I'm thinking especially about the future, about my grandchildren, if I ever have any. They'll be able to say that their grandmother was involved in all this, and for me that's the best story ever.’
“That’s also the message I want to convey to young Senegalese people,” adds Aïchatou Diop. “Don’t hesitate, seize these opportunities. The YOG are an open door, the whole world will be there. So later on, we’ll be able to say that we were there for our country, our nation. Personally, I find that something to be proud of.”
To join the Jambaar 26 volunteer program, sign up here:
https://www.olympics.com/fr/dakar-2026/volontaires-jambaar26/
