In a recent engagement where the Gambia flag was handed over to the athletes headed to Luanda, Angola, for the Africa Youth Games, the president of the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) firmly stated that the athletes must strive to bring home trophies.
While addressing the athletes, Mr. Bai Dodou Jallow summed up the various training sessions and other preparations undertaken.
“The honourable minister is here today to give you the national flag for you to now go and fight on behalf of this country. From today, when you take this flag, it means the destiny of this country in terms of the Youth Olympic Games is in your hands. It is no longer in the hands of the Olympic Committees. It is in your hands because the flag is now handed over to you. So you are expected to go and fight very, very hard. You are expected also to go and behave and represent this country in the best possible way because you will be the ambassadors there,” he stated.
He expressed optimism, recalling their performance in the Africa School Games in Algeria and the results obtained there.
Bai Dodou said some of the athletes are already experienced in this kind of competition, and are going to a similar competition.
Expecting a tougher competition as August’s event was the School Games, while this is the Youth Games.
He urged them to be psychologically prepared and be ready put up a good fight, as it’s about fighting.
“This is sports. It is not going to be there for you on a silver platter. It is going to be there, and you have to fight to take it away from your opponent. So you must fight. I think you have been well-prepared. You have been given all the necessary logistics,” he enthused.
Emboldening his team ahead of the games, Jallow expressed hope for some discernible preparation and athletes who have already been high-fliers over the last few games.
Hopeful that the athletes could do better, the GNOC boss urged them to focus, and be ready to prizefight for medals.
“We want to get gold medals, we want to get silver medals, and we want to get bronze medals. This is the objective in every event that we participate in. If we fall short, then we have not achieved our objective. So please, let us get ready, let us go, be together, be one team and fight as a team.”
Felicitating the sports and youth minister, Bakary Y. Badjie, for honouring their invitation and handing over the flag to the athletes, he said the minister’s presence could motivate the athletes, as they would know how seriously the government takes this event.
As he wished the team good luck, the GNOC boss equally appreciated the effort of his committee behind him, for their support.
Meanwhile, the sporting event has concluded, as it was held from 10th to 20th December 2025 in the Angolan capital. While the Gambian team failed to clutch gold, it acquired two bronze and one silver.
The Africa Youth Games (AYG) is a key, important sporting event staged by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa. (ANOCA).
This time, marking the fourth (4th) edition, it would rally teams composed of young athletes from 54 African countries.
This event is particularly important, as it serves as a warm-up for the Youth Olympic Games next year (2026), which would be held in Africa for the first time, with Dakar, Senegal, as the host.
