As a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, Samsung Electronics is supporting the Games with Galaxy technology — from Victory Selfie and broadcast integrations to the Samsung Open Station, an experience space inside the Youth Olympic Village. Having supported the Youth Olympic Games since the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010, Samsung is going beyond technology at Dakar 2026 to support young athletes’ personal growth as well.

For the athletes competing at Dakar 2026, reaching the Olympic stage is the result of years of dedication. But some of the most lasting lessons come from what happens along the way — overcoming setbacks, building resilience, discovering what matters beyond results.

That is why, on 3 November, Samsung hosted “Beyond the Medal: Your Journey Shapes What Comes Next,” a mentoring session at the Samsung Open Station inside the Youth Olympic Village. By bringing in athletes who have walked the Olympic path before them, the session aimed to inspire pride and motivation in the next generation — and to share the spirit of openness at the heart of Samsung’s Olympic partnership.

Two IOC Athlete Role Models[1] – Senegalese canoe slalom Olympian Jean-Pierre Bourhis (31) and Ugandan swimmer Jamila Lunkuse (29) – joined New Zealand tennis bronze medalist Marcus Daniell (36) for a conversation with young athletes.

(From left) Jean-Pierre Bourhis (Senegal, Slalom canoe), Jamila Lunkuse (Uganda, Swimming) and Marcus Daniell join young athletes at the Samsung Open Station.

Moderated by Lefa Makgato, CSR Manager at Samsung Electronics Africa, the session brought the three mentors together with 28 young athletes from 12 countries to share the journeys that shaped them — and offer a guide for exploring where life beyond sport might lead.

Open the Way: Finding Your Own Path

Makgato opened by asking each mentor where their Olympic journey began.

For Bourhis, who represented Senegal at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 and is featured in Samsung’s “Voices of Galaxy: Paddling for the Future,” the dream took shape in 2008, when Togo’s Benjamin Boukpeti won a bronze medal in kayaking at the Beijing Olympics.

“As a kid, I realised an African paddler could reach the podium,” he said. “Rio 2016 showed me the way could be opened. Now my job is to keep it open for others.”

Jean-Pierre Bourhis (Senegal), IOC Athlete Role Model at Samsung Mentoring Session

Lunkuse, who made her Olympic Games debut at 15, recalled that swimming began with friendship rather than ambition. “I wasn’t thinking about medals or the Olympics,” she said. “I just enjoyed being part of something with my friends, and that’s what built my love for the sport.”

Daniell, who ended New Zealand’s 109-year wait for an Olympic tennis medal at Tokyo 2020, pointed to choosing tennis over football at 14. “Because I’d given up a sport I loved, I knew I had to fully commit,” he said.

Break Your Boundaries: Learning Through Challenges

The conversation then turned to the biggest challenges each mentor faced.

With almost no whitewater facilities in Senegal, Bourhis had to build his training base in France — while holding down a full-time job as an engineer in electric vehicle repair. “As an engineer, I see a limit as a problem to solve, not a wall,” he said. “I train before work, during lunch or late at night. What keeps me going is purpose.”

Lunkuse spoke openly about the anxiety she faced ahead of Rio 2016. “I became so focused on qualifying times that I no longer enjoyed it,” she said. “It was only when I took time away that I could see what I was going through and what help I needed — and that’s what got me to Rio 2016.”

Jamila Lunkuse (Uganda), IOC Athlete Role Model at Samsung Mentoring Session

Daniell described a knee injury in 2022 that kept him out for nearly two years. “What got me through was having something bigger than tennis,” he said. “Everyone fails. Those who last are the ones who learn to pick themselves up when they fall.”

Beyond the Game: Turning Experience Into Opportunity

Finally, Makgato asked how the lessons of sport carried into what came next.

Through nonprofit work, Bourhis is building a canoeing ecosystem in Senegal. “We’re building it step by step — and building canoes locally makes the sport more affordable, creates local jobs and leaves a lasting legacy,” he said. “I want to give the next generation the tools to build their own way.”

Lunkuse, a youth coach and World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee member, urges young athletes to look beyond results. “Results do not define your value,” she said. Similarly, Daniell – an IOC Athletes’ Commission member and founder of High Impact Athletes, a nonprofit connecting athletes with charities – advised: “Look for a goal beyond personal success. For me, that was what kept pushing me forward.”

Marcus Daniell (New Zealand), IOC Athlete Role Model at Samsung Mentoring Session

Opening Possibilities for the Next Generation

Lefa Makgato, CSR Manager at Samsung Electronics Africa, moderates the session.

Makgato closed the session with a story of her own. Growing up in a small township in South Africa, she first encountered a computer at 18 — at one of Samsung’s Solar Powered Internet Schools. She later joined Samsung Electronics Africa, where she now leads CSR programs across the continent, including Solve for Tomorrow, giving the next generation the kind of opportunity she once received. Having seen firsthand how a single opportunity can change a life, she had good reason to stand before the young athletes that day.

“I know firsthand how access to technology and education opens doors you may never have imagined. Where you are today doesn’t determine where you’re going,” she said. “We wanted to encourage young athletes to stay open to new ideas and recognise the potential they have to shape their own futures.”

(From left) Jean-Pierre Bourhis, Jamila Lunkuse and Marcus Daniell take a selfie at the Samsung Open Station.

[1] IOC Athlete Role Models (ARMs) have been part of the Youth Olympic Games since Singapore 2010. Selected by International Federations for each sport, these experienced Olympians stay on site to speak with young athletes and lead workshops on topics such as career management and injury prevention, helping shape the athletes of tomorrow.

Taking place in Senegal from 31 Oct- 13 Nov, Dakar 2026 is bringing together more than 2,700 young athletes from 207 countries across 25 sports. It also marks a historic milestone as the first Olympic sporting event to be held on the African continent. Additionally, Samsung is drawing on nearly four decades of experience within the Olympic Movement to further strengthen its commitment to the Youth Olympic Games, which dates back to the inaugural edition, Singapore 2010.

Team Greece athletes hold Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra displaying their country name during the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 Opening Ceremony. (Copyright: IOC/Ubald Rutar)

“The Youth Olympic Games represent an important stage in a young athlete’s journey — where competition, connection, and personal growth come together,” said Stephanie Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand Center at Samsung Electronics. “At Dakar 2026, we are committed to bringing the Games to more people and enriching the experience for the athletes who take part through purposeful Galaxy innovation and programs designed around their needs.”

Team Korea captures the historic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 Opening Ceremony with Galaxy Z Flip8. (Copyright: IOC/Ubald Rutar)

Team Fiji celebrates the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, captured with Galaxy Z Flip8. (Copyright: IOC/Franco Arland)

Helping Power the Youth Olympic Games: Bringing Galaxy Innovation to Dakar 2026

Having introduced sports technology integrations at Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026, Samsung is now bringing these innovations to the Youth Olympic Games for the first time.

Galaxy S26 Ultra devices are being incorporated into skateboarding and taekwondo coverage alongside existing broadcast cameras, enabling handheld, close-up, and vertical perspectives that can complement traditional production. Dakar 2026 is also serving as an opportunity to test and learn from these applications as Samsung continues exploring how mobile technology can support future Games experiences — including on the road to the LA28 Games.

The Olympic Victory Selfie is making its Youth Olympic Games debut at Dakar 2026, extending a program that has become an iconic expression of athlete celebration at the Olympic and Paralympic Games since its debut at Paris 2024. Centered on connection, emotion, and self-expression, Victory Selfie gives athletes a more personal way to capture and share the moments that define their journey.

Using Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition devices, medalists across disciplines will have the opportunity to commemorate their winning moments as part of Victory Selfie activations around medal ceremonies to create lasting memories of their achievement that are sharable with friends, family, and supporters around the world.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry stops by the Samsung Open Station for a Victory Selfie with Team Senegal athletes Woreye Ndiaye (Wushu), Ibrahima Beye (Taekwondo), Naël Lamine Voisin (Swimming), Ndèye Khady Anna Diatta (Beach Wrestling) and Team Korea athletes Jang Yu Jeong (Badminton) and Park Jung Bin (Badminton). (Copyright: IOC/Chiara Montesano)

Supporting Athlete Journeys: Enriching the Games-time Experience for Young Olympians

At the Samsung Open Station inside the Youth Olympic Village, Samsung is creating a welcoming, relaxed space where athletes can step away from competition, meet peers from around the world, and explore new ways to express themselves through Galaxy technology. Inspired by Dakar’s coastal environment, the space brings together interactive activities designed to help athletes celebrate their individuality, create lasting memories, and reflect on where their journeys may take them next. These activities include:

Team USA Women’s Rugby player, Chloe Gandy, takes part in an interactive mobile gaming experience at Samsung Open Station at Dakar 2026. (Copyright: IOC/Ubald Rutar)

• Victory Talk – Athletes can capture their Dakar 2026 experience through a short-form video built around casual questions about themselves, their time at the Games, and their aspirations for the future.
• Victory Wall – Using Galaxy devices, athletes can transform their photos into personalised Olympic-themed characters and posters, celebrating their individuality and creativity.
• Victory Photo Zone – Athletes can recreate the excitement of a medal ceremony moment by capturing and sharing the excitement of standing on the podium.
• Community Lounge – A relaxed social space where athletes can connect with one another, play a Dakar-themed mobile skateboarding game, personalise keepsakes, and discover Galaxy Tips designed to help them get more from their devices.
• Mentoring Session: Beyond the Medal – Mentoring session where Olympians and IOC Athlete Role Models help young athletes shape their lives beyond competition.

Team USA enjoys a visit to Samsung Open Station inside the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Village, exploring the immersive experience and innovative Galaxy technology offerings. (Copyright: IOC/Ubald Rutar)

Samsung’s Commitment to the Olympic Games: Bringing the Dakar 2026 Closer to Local Communities

Dakar 2026 marks a milestone as both the first Olympic sporting event held on the African continent and as a new chapter in Samsung’s support of the Youth Olympic Games, which dates back to Singapore 2010. Alongside its athlete-facing programs, Samsung is extending the excitement of the Games into communities across Senegal through local media, digital, retail, and consumer activations designed to help more people take part in the excitement of Dakar 2026.

Out-of-home campaigns will spotlight Dakar 2026 – and Samsung’s programming – across  key locations in Dakar and Senegal while Samsung consumer experience zones will bring the excitement of the Youth Olympic Games into local communities. This will give fans opportunities to explore Galaxy technology, take part in interactive sports and AI-powered challenges, and create their own Olympic-inspired moments.

Samsung is also working with domestic partners on their retail initiatives for Dakar 2026, including special Galaxy offers and in-store activations, while a citywide pin program spanning Samsung locations will encourage consumers to explore the Games and participate in Samsung experiences throughout Dakar.

Together, these programs extend Samsung’s commitment to the Olympic Games beyond the competition venues — supporting young athletes at the center of the Games while creating more ways for local fans and communities to experience and celebrate this historic moment.