Sixteen-year-old Ramiah Bukenya will carry Uganda’s badminton hopes alone at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after earning the country’s only slot in the sport.
Bukenya was selected as Uganda’s leading junior player and will compete in Senegal when the Youth Olympic Games are held from October 31 to November 13.
Her badminton competition is scheduled for November 1-5, giving the Mbogo High School youngster an opportunity to test herself against some of the world’s leading young players.
Uganda was allocated only 1 badminton place for Dakar, making selection highly competitive before Bukenya emerged as the preferred choice.
She has built her case through domestic success, international junior competition and a growing reputation as one of Uganda’s brightest badminton prospects.
Bukenya has competed at the World Junior Championships in China and several other international tournaments.
While also playing a key role in Mbogo High School’s success in Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association competitions.
She is currently sharpening her game in Cairo, Egypt, where the international programme forms part of her final build-up towards Dakar.
Coach William Kabindi believes the Cairo experience is important because it gives Bukenya valuable match practice against strong junior opposition before the Youth Olympic Games.
The Dakar opportunity represents both national responsibility and another important stage in her development.
“I am so excited to represent Uganda at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar,” Bukenya said.
“It will be an amazing opportunity to wear the Ugandan flag, play against the best young players from different countries, learn from them, and grow as an athlete.”
The Youth Olympic Games will give Bukenya one of the biggest platforms of her career so far, but the teenager is already looking beyond the immediate competition.
She believes the experience can form part of a longer journey towards competing at senior Olympic level.
“For me, the Youth Olympics is more than a competition,” Bukenya said.
“It is a boost and encouragement that will push me to dream bigger and prepare for the senior Olympic Games in the future.”
Bukenya will be part of Uganda’s 25-athlete delegation competing across seven sports in Dakar.
Uganda will be represented in athletics, badminton, road cycling, rugby sevens, swimming, table tennis and rowing beach sprints.
Around 2,700 young athletes from 207 delegations are expected to compete across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
As Uganda’s only representative in the sport, she will arrive in Dakar carrying both the responsibility of the national flag and the ambition of using the Youth Olympics as a stepping stone towards the senior Games.
The 2026 edition will also carry historic significance as the first Olympic event staged on African soil.
Team Uganda for Dakar 2026
Athletics: Baskaline Cherotwo, women’s 1500m; Racheal Chelimo, women’s 2000m steeplechase; Keren Chelimo, women’s 3000m; Michael Kibet, men’s 2000m steeplechase; Timothy Cheptoek, men’s 800m
Badminton: Ramiah Bukenya, women’s singles
Cycling: Ali Ssali, men’s road race and individual time trial
Coastal rowing: Marcel Otim, men’s solo C1x beach sprints
Rugby sevens: Victor Ampiire, Bonamy Bwambale, Trey Rugamba Gateja, Jeremiah Iragaba, Sanyu Katushabe, Moses Kibeti, Deogracious Muliira, Shafik Okole, Abdulrahman Ongima, Almadi Otema and James Ssebuufu, men’s tournament
Swimming: Mary Peyton Suubi, women’s 400m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke; Marie Mbanga, women’s 50m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley; Mark Arthur Mwase, men’s 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle; Peterson Inhensiko, men’s 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly
Table tennis: Jemimah Nakawala, women’s singles and mixed doubles; Joseph Sebatindira, men’s singles and mixed doubles