DAKAR, 4th November, 2026 (WAM) -- UAE national badminton player Riyan Malhan reached the semi-finals of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games today, beating Thailand's PunnatatPrempunpong 2–0 in a tough quarter-final. He will face China's Hong Tian Yue in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Malhan had also impressed in the group stage, topping his group with three consecutive 2–0 victories without needing a deciding game, keeping alive his hopes of competing for an Olympic medal for the UAE.
Meanwhile, UAE national boxing team member Moaz Wael held his first training session after arriving in Dakar to compete in the 70kg category. Boxing at the fourth Youth Olympic Games, Dakar 2026, runs from 7 to 12 November, with 116 boxers representing 77 National Olympic Committees: 57 men and 59 women competing across 10 weight categories divided equally between men and women.
The Dakar Expo Centre in Diamniadio will host the bouts in two sessions daily, with the medal bouts scheduled for 12 November. Boxing has been part of the Youth Olympic Games programme since the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010. Eleven boxing medallists from previous editions have subsequently reached the podium at the senior Olympic Games, reflecting the event's role in nurturing talent and developing athletes' abilities to compete at the highest levels.
Mohammed Al Shibli, coach of the UAE national boxing team, confirmed that MoazWael's preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games were based on a specialised technical and training programme aimed at improving his technical skills and physical fitness while strengthening his tactical abilities, ensuring he reaches the highest possible level of readiness for Olympic competition.
Al Shibli explained that the programme involved analysing Moaz's performance, assessing his capabilities and developing training plans tailored to his abilities and technical needs. The focus was on addressing weaknesses and building on strengths, as well as improving his ability to execute tactical plans and handle different situations in the ring.
He noted that preparations included an overseas training camp in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, featuring specialised training sessions and several friendly bouts. The aim was to assess Moaz's technical and tactical performance, measure his response to the training plans and evaluate his ability to apply them in competitive conditions similar to official bouts.
Al Shibli added that the camp gave Moaz an opportunity to experience different schools and styles of African boxing and gain first-hand insight into the nature of competition on the continent. This helped strengthen his psychological and competitive readiness and improve his ability to adapt to different types of opponents. He noted that this phase formed an important part of the preparation plan aimed at enabling Moaz to deliver his best possible performance at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
The fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games brings together approximately 2,700 athletes competing in 25 sports, alongside 10 engagement sports. Events are taking place in three cities: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
The UAE is fielding the largest delegation in its history at the Youth Olympic Games since the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010, with 12 athletes competing in nine sports.