Algeria's Salaheddine Torki qualifies fifth for the men's 100m freestyle final, South Africa's Chanel Veldsman leads three Africans into the women's 200m breaststroke final, and 52 swimmers from 31 African nations race on the morning of day two, hosts Senegal among them
DAKAR, Senegal, Monday 2 November 2026 – Less than a day after swimming in the men's 100m butterfly final, Salaheddine Torki came back and went even faster off the blocks. The Algerian reached the turn of his men's 100m freestyle heat in 24.09, the fastest opening 50m of all 73 swimmers in the event, and touched in 51.20 to qualify fifth for the final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
He will not be on his own tonight. South Africa's Chanel Veldsman, Tunisia's Ilef Omri and Algeria's Rahma Benmahammed all qualified for the women's 200m breaststroke final, and Morocco's Larhlimi claimed the last place in the men's 200m breaststroke final. That makes five African finalists from the morning's four events.
And the scale of the morning was something new. Fifty-two African swimmers from 31 nations raced in the heats at the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf, with hosts Senegal among them.
Torki: Fastest To The Turn, Through To The Final
Torki swam from lane three of the ninth heat, alongside the eventual top qualifier, Chinese Taipei's Lee Han (50.42). He went out in 24.09, ahead of everyone in the field, and came home in 27.11 for third in his heat and fifth overall.
His 51.20 was just 0.02 behind Mexico's Daniel Saborio Grillo in fourth and 0.33 inside the final cut-off of 51.53. After an eighth place in the 100m butterfly final, the 16-year-old now has a second Olympic final in two days.
Veldsman Leads An African Trio Into The Breaststroke Final
The women's 200m breaststroke turned into one of Africa's best events of the Games so far, with three of the eight finalists from the continent.
Chanel Veldsman, 17, set the pace in the first heat. She was first at 50m in 34.85, the second-fastest opening split of the event, and still led China's Chang Mohan at 100m by just one hundredth (1:13.54 to 1:13.55). Chang went ahead on the third length, but Veldsman's final 50m (39.53) was quicker than her third, and she touched in 2:33.36 for second in the heat and third overall. Only Japan's Ishikawa Mana (2:29.37) and Chang (2:32.42) were faster, and Veldsman finished 2.07 seconds clear of fourth.
Tunisia's Ilef Omri, 16, had the quickest reaction in the event at 0.60. She qualified fifth in 2:45.63, 0.80 ahead of Palestine's Alma Shaat.
Algeria's Rahma Benmahammed, 16, took the eighth and final place in 2:48.15, 2.85 seconds clear of the first reserve, Cyprus's Maria Kermanou, with a final length (43.72) that was quicker than her third.
Uganda's Zara Marie Mbanga, at 15 the youngest swimmer in the event, was 11th in 2:56.89, and Gabon's Axelle Moulenda completed the distance in 3:21.92.
Larhlimi Takes The Last Ticket
In the men's 200m breaststroke, Morocco's Larhlimi qualified eighth in 2:25.07, 1.78 seconds clear of Cambodia's Pieter Sok Kha Vanoosten in ninth, to give Africa a fifth finalist on the day.
Eswatini's Luca Fraser, 16, was tenth in 2:32.05 and is the second reserve for the final. Kenya's Neo Olengo, 16, had the joint-fastest reaction in the field (0.64) and was 11th in 2:35.39.
Home Waters: Senegal's Biagini Duo
The host nation's swimmers made their entrance. In the women's 100m freestyle, 14-year-old Marta Alodia Biagini led her heat at the turn in 28.99 and finished in 1:01.92, 33rd overall. In the men's 100m freestyle, Matteo Leon Biagini, 17, was 41st in 55.35. Their appearances on the first Olympic stage ever hosted in Africa were a milestone for Senegalese swimming.
Women's 100m Freestyle: Johnsen Leads 19 African Nations
Nineteen African swimmers from 19 nations raced the women's 100m freestyle. Zimbabwe's Alexis Johnsen, 16, was the fastest of them, tied for 12th in 59.23 and 0.98 outside the final.
Two heats became African affairs. In heat four, African swimmers filled the first five places. Tunisia's Ilef Zouaghi came through from lane eight to win it in 1:01.16, ahead of Namibia's Madison Sara Bergh (1:01.40), Senegal's Biagini (1:01.92), Seychelles' Dorianne Bristol (1:02.80) and Nigeria's O.T. Akinsanmi (1:03.33). In heat five, the top three were all African: Kenya's Macrine Kalombo won in 1:01.18, ahead of Ghana's 14-year-old Jada Yankey (1:02.15) and Mozambique's 14-year-old Angela Chicumbe (1:02.53, tied for third). Kalombo turned in 28.19, quicker at halfway than one of the eventual qualifiers.
Leah Markgraaff, a day after her 400m freestyle silver, was 27th in 1:00.87 with a 0.61 reaction. Madagascar's Oceane Rakotonanahary (34th, 1:02.02), Morocco's Yasmin Rhalmane Hmidi (39th, 1:02.76), Tanzania's Crissa Denis Dillip (43rd, 1:02.96), Angola's Maria Parimbelli (53rd, 1:05.09), Burundi's Lois Eliora Irishura (56th, 1:06.35), Rwanda's Aragsan Mugabo (60th, 1:08.54), Comoros' K.M.T. Ibrahim (61st, 1:09.22), Malawi's Danielle Kanjadza (63rd, 1:12.66) and Benin's Tina Apithy (64th, 1:25.97) completed the African field.
Men's 100m Freestyle: Strength In Numbers
Africa had 25 swimmers from 24 nations in the men's 100m freestyle, more than a third of the 73-strong field. Behind Torki, Namibia's Nathan Bock, 17, was 14th in 52.70. South Africa's Matthew Goller, 16, came home in 27.03, a faster second 50m than Torki's, to finish 20th in 53.22. Zambia's Joshua Mulenga (24th, 53.50) and Nigeria's K.E. Obatoyinbo (29th, 53.81) followed.
Uganda's Mark Arthur Mwase had the fastest reaction of all 73 swimmers (0.57) and was second in his heat in 55.47, with teammate Peterson Inhensiko third in 56.25. Tunisia's Mohamed Yassine Ben Ajmia, who swam in the 200m backstroke final yesterday at just 14, was second in his heat in 56.30. Rwanda's Sheja Murenzi, the youngest swimmer in the field, was 60th in 58.57.
The rest of the African field: Angola's Santiago Guimaraes (40th, 55.22), Ghana's Tamba Akin Boamah (46th, 55.93), Libya's Yousef Elwalid (51st, 56.48), Mozambique's Lazaro Menete (54th, 57.00), Comoros' Ali El Wafa Younes (57th, 58.18), Malawi's Tasunje Mkavea (58th, 58.23), Cabo Verde's Myles Goncalves (59th, 58.47), Seychelles' Nasri Jean Baptiste (61st, 58.67), Tanzania's Zack Okumu (62nd, 58.86), Benin's Shalom Tevoedjre (64th, 59.89), DR Congo's Jehu Matondo Bosange Zozo (66th, 1:00.76), Ethiopia's B.H. Gebreyohannes (67th, 1:02.45), Mali's Younoussa Maiga (68th, 1:04.86), Cameroon's Jerry Yossa (70th, 1:05.97) and Sierra Leone's Peter Bewie (73rd, 1:23.04).
Looking Ahead To The Finals
Five African swimmers go into the finals with a chance to add to the continent's gold and silver: Torki in the men's 100m freestyle, Veldsman, Omri and Benmahammed in the women's 200m breaststroke, and Larhlimi in the men's 200m breaststroke, with Fraser waiting as reserve. The swimming programme at Dakar 2026 continues at the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf.
Results: African Swimmers – Day 2 Heats
African Finalists
| Event | Swimmer | NOC | Heats Rank | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100m Freestyle | Salaheddine TORKI | ALG | 5 | 51.20 |
| Women's 200m Breaststroke | Chanel VELDSMAN | RSA | 3 | 2:33.36 |
| Women's 200m Breaststroke | Ilef OMRI | TUN | 5 | 2:45.63 |
| Women's 200m Breaststroke | Rahma BENMAHAMMED | ALG | 8 | 2:48.15 |
| Men's 200m Breaststroke | M.T.E. LARHLIMI | MAR | 8 | 2:25.07 |
| Men's 200m Breaststroke (Reserve 2) | Luca FRASER | SWZ | 10 | 2:32.05 |
Women's 100m Freestyle – Heats
| Rank | Swimmer | NOC | Age | Heat (Lane) | 50m | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12= | Alexis JOHNSEN | ZIM | 16 | 8 (2) | 28.16 | 59.23 |
| 27 | Leah MARKGRAAFF | RSA | 17 | 6 (6) | 29.29 | 1:00.87 |
| 29 | Ilef ZOUAGHI | TUN | 14 | 4 (8) | 29.76 | 1:01.16 |
| 30 | Macrine KALOMBO | KEN | 16 | 5 (7) | 28.19 | 1:01.18 |
| 31 | Madison Sara BERGH | NAM | 17 | 4 (7) | 29.14 | 1:01.40 |
| 33 | Marta Alodia BIAGINI | SEN | 14 | 4 (4) | 28.99 | 1:01.92 |
| 34 | Oceane RAKOTONANAHARY | MAD | 15 | 6 (3) | 29.76 | 1:02.02 |
| 35 | Jada YANKEY | GHA | 14 | 5 (8) | 29.62 | 1:02.15 |
| 36= | Angela CHICUMBE | MOZ | 14 | 5 (5) | 29.81 | 1:02.53 |
| 39 | Yasmin RHALMANE HMIDI | MAR | 16 | 6 (2) | 30.51 | 1:02.76 |
| 41 | Dorianne BRISTOL | SEY | 17 | 4 (5) | 29.40 | 1:02.80 |
| 43 | Crissa Denis DILLIP | TAN | 16 | 5 (1) | 29.71 | 1:02.96 |
| 44 | O.T. AKINSANMI | NGR | 16 | 4 (2) | 30.18 | 1:03.33 |
| 53 | Maria PARIMBELLI | ANG | 15 | 3 (7) | 30.18 | 1:05.09 |
| 56 | Lois Eliora IRISHURA | BDI | 16 | 4 (1) | 31.28 | 1:06.35 |
| 60 | Aragsan MUGABO | RWA | 15 | 2 (5) | 31.28 | 1:08.54 |
| 61 | K.M.T. IBRAHIM | COM | 17 | 2 (2) | 33.04 | 1:09.22 |
| 63 | Danielle KANJADZA | MAW | 15 | 1 (4) | 34.37 | 1:12.66 |
| 64 | Tina APITHY | BEN | 15 | 1 (3) | 40.04 | 1:25.97 |
| DNS | Kayra TATI | CPV | 17 | 7 (7) | – | DNS |
Final cut-off: 58.25 (8th).
Men's 100m Freestyle – Heats
| Rank | Swimmer | NOC | Age | Heat (Lane) | 50m | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Q | Salaheddine TORKI | ALG | 16 | 9 (3) | 24.09 | 51.20 |
| 14 | Nathan BOCK | NAM | 17 | 9 (7) | 24.91 | 52.70 |
| 20 | Matthew GOLLER | RSA | 16 | 9 (1) | 26.19 | 53.22 |
| 24 | Joshua MULENGA | ZAM | 17 | 10 (1) | 25.35 | 53.50 |
| 29 | K.E. OBATOYINBO | NGR | 16 | 7 (4) | 25.59 | 53.81 |
| 40 | Santiago GUIMARAES | ANG | 16 | 6 (5) | 26.31 | 55.22 |
| 41 | Matteo Leon BIAGINI | SEN | 17 | 7 (2) | 26.22 | 55.35 |
| 43 | Mark Arthur MWASE | UGA | 17 | 4 (7) | 26.47 | 55.47 |
| 46 | Tamba Akin BOAMAH | GHA | 16 | 10 (8) | 26.33 | 55.93 |
| 47 | Peterson INHENSIKO | UGA | 17 | 4 (2) | 26.13 | 56.25 |
| 48 | Mohamed Yassine BEN AJMIA | TUN | 14 | 3 (4) | 27.17 | 56.30 |
| 51 | Yousef ELWALID | LBA | 16 | 4 (3) | 27.00 | 56.48 |
| 54 | Lazaro MENETE | MOZ | 17 | 4 (4) | 27.41 | 57.00 |
| 57 | Ali El Wafa YOUNES | COM | 15 | 4 (6) | 27.65 | 58.18 |
| 58 | Tasunje MKAVEA | MAW | 16 | 3 (2) | 28.59 | 58.23 |
| 59 | Myles GONCALVES | CPV | 16 | 4 (8) | 27.68 | 58.47 |
| 60 | Sheja MURENZI | RWA | 14 | 3 (8) | 27.74 | 58.57 |
| 61 | Nasri JEAN BAPTISTE | SEY | 15 | 3 (5) | 27.25 | 58.67 |
| 62 | Zack OKUMU | TAN | 15 | 3 (3) | 28.97 | 58.86 |
| 64 | Shalom TEVOEDJRE | BEN | 17 | 3 (7) | 27.59 | 59.89 |
| 66 | Jehu MATONDO BOSANGE ZOZO | COD | 17 | 2 (3) | 28.56 | 1:00.76 |
| 67 | B.H. GEBREYOHANNES | ETH | 17 | 2 (5) | 29.50 | 1:02.45 |
| 68 | Younoussa MAIGA | MLI | 16 | 2 (7) | 30.39 | 1:04.86 |
| 70 | Jerry YOSSA | CMR | 14 | 1 (5) | 31.13 | 1:05.97 |
| 73 | Peter BEWIE | SLE | 17 | 1 (3) | 35.53 | 1:23.04 |
Final cut-off: 51.53 (8th).
Women's 200m Breaststroke – Heats
| Rank | Swimmer | NOC | Age | Heat (Lane) | 50m | 100m | 150m | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Q | Chanel VELDSMAN | RSA | 17 | 1 (5) | 34.85 | 1:13.54 | 1:53.83 | 2:33.36 |
| 5 Q | Ilef OMRI | TUN | 16 | 2 (2) | 37.18 | 1:19.43 | 2:02.29 | 2:45.63 |
| 8 Q | Rahma BENMAHAMMED | ALG | 16 | 1 (3) | 38.13 | 1:20.64 | 2:04.43 | 2:48.15 |
| 11 | Zara Marie MBANGA | UGA | 15 | 2 (7) | 38.35 | 1:23.30 | 2:09.45 | 2:56.89 |
| 12 | Axelle MOULENDA | GAB | 17 | 1 (7) | 43.06 | 1:33.78 | 2:27.02 | 3:21.92 |
Men's 200m Breaststroke – Heats
| Rank | Swimmer | NOC | Age | Heat (Lane) | 50m | 100m | 150m | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Q | M.T.E. LARHLIMI | MAR | 17 | 2 (6) | 32.05 | 1:08.33 | 1:45.52 | 2:25.07 |
| 10 R | Luca FRASER | SWZ | 16 | 2 (7) | 34.21 | 1:12.39 | 1:52.04 | 2:32.05 |
| 11 | Neo OLENGO | KEN | 16 | 1 (2) | 33.66 | 1:12.72 | 1:53.81 | 2:35.39 |
| DNS | Tamba Akin BOAMAH | GHA | 16 | 2 (1) | – | – | – | DNS |
Session Participation
| Event | African Swimmers | Field | African Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 100m Freestyle | 19 | 64 | 0 |
| Men's 100m Freestyle | 25 | 73 | 1 |
| Women's 200m Breaststroke | 5 | 12 | 3 |
| Men's 200m Breaststroke | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| Total | 52 | 161 | 5 |
African nations in action (31): Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
African Swimming Medal Tracker – Dakar 2026 (Cumulative)
| Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| South Africa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Africa Total | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Ages as at 2 November 2026, from dates of birth on the results.
Sources: Official Results, Events 7–10, Heats, Dakar 2026 (Monday 2 November 2026).
