On October 13, the send-off ceremony for wushu's debut at Dakar 2026Youth Olympic Games, themed "Wushu Debuts at YOG，Glory Heads for Dakar" hosted by HengYuanXiang Group, was successfully held in Beijing, China. The 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games will open in Senegal in 18 days. Wushu will make its debut as an official sport at the Dakar 2026 YOG. This marks the first time that wushu has become an official competition sport at an Olympic-series event and represents an important milestone in the development of wushu. At the ceremony, HengYuanXiang Group, as a Global Partner of the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), officially unveiled the uniforms for international technical officials of the wushu competition at the Dakar 2026 YOG, supporting wushu's Youth Olympic debut.
Guests and athlete representatives attending the event included the Secretary General of the IWUF Zhang Yuping; Honorary Vice President of the IWUF Liu Ruiqi; Chairman and General Manager of HengYuanXiang Group Chen Zhongwei ; Chair of the IWUF Athletes Committee and Role Model Athlete for wushu at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Lai Xiaoxiao; Vice Chairman of the IWUF Marketing and Development Committee Liu Xiaojin ; Vice Chairman of the IWUF Kungfu Committee Luc Bendza ; IWUF expert and Professor at the University of Queensland, Australia Liu Xin; and Senegalese wushu coach Sako Ousmane.
Secretary General Zhang Yuping reviewed the multiple connections between wushu and the Olympics, noting that wushu's first inclusion as an official competition sport at an Olympic-series event embodies the sustained efforts of generations of the wushu community. This is not only the International Olympic Committee's recognition of the value of wushu, but also a landmark achievement in the international promotion of wushu. She expressed her expectation that wushu athletes from the five continents will write a new chapter in Dakar and leave a remarkable mark for wushu on the Olympic stage.
Lai Xiaoxiao said that the identity of Role Model Athlete is not only an honour but also a profound responsibility. She hopes that through her own actions, she can pass on the experience, courage and perseverance gained from practising wushu to the next generation of young athletes. She looks forward to all athletes performing well, enjoying the competition and growing through the experience in Dakar.
Chairman Chen Zhongwei said that Hengyuanxiang is honoured to provide uniforms for the international technical officials of the wushu competition at Dakar 2026 YOG. As a Global Partner of the IWUF, HengYuanXiang has always believed that wushu is not only a sport but also a healthy lifestyle, and that clothing is an important form and carrier for expressing wushu culture. HengYuanXiang looks forward to taking the opportunity of its centenary to jointly promote the market development and cultural popularisation of wushu.
The uniforms for international technical officials of the wushu competition at the Dakar 2026 YOG are designed with technology as the form and wushu rhythm as the soul. A calm deep blue and pure white form the main visual palette, while the event logo and the IWUF emblem on the chest highlight the officials' identity in the wushu competition. The suit fabric is made of pure wool, which is breathable, moisture-absorbing, soft and wrinkle-resistant. The men's style is crisp and neat, while the women's style is flowing and graceful. The Polo shirts likewise convey a professional image and are suitable for different settings and climates. The clothing uses the two images of "flower" and "sheep" as cultural patterns, creating a sheep-character symbol, showcasing the charm of ancient floral windows, and bringing new life to blue-and-white porcelain aesthetics. The red lettering on the cuffs is the French name of HengYuanXiang.
During the ceremony, the "Wushu Debuts at YOG，Glory Heads for Dakar" send-off signature scroll was slowly unrolled with the joint efforts of the guests, officially sounding the charge for wushu's Youth Olympic debut and carrying good wishes for wushu athletes from the five continents. Afterwards, athlete representatives Ndiaye Woreye and Amar Mahib from Senegal were the first to sign the scroll. The send-off scroll will be taken to the wushu competition venue in Dakar, where wushu athletes from the five continents will sign their names, leaving a precious legacy for wushu's Youth Olympic debut.
Senegalese athlete representative Ndiaye said that she feels very proud to welcome wushu friends from around the world in her own country, and hopes everyone will experience Senegal's warmth and friendship. She looks forward to showing her best self in Dakar and to more people discovering and falling in love with wushu through the YOG, passing on the spirit and culture of wushu to the world.
The wushu competition at the Dakar 2026 YOG will be held from November 1-3 at the Dakar Exhibition Centre, spanning three days and six competition sessions. November 1 and 2 will be preliminary rounds, and November 3 will be the finals, where gold medals will be awarded in four events: Men's Changquan Combined (Changquan and Gunshu), Women's Changquan Combined (Changquan and Gunshu), Men's Taijiquan Combined (Taijiquan and Taijishan), and Women's Taijiquan Combined (Taijiquan and Taijishan).
