UAE badminton player Riyan Malhan has made history after winning the country’s first-ever gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games, defeating France’s Mady Sow in the boys’ singles final at Dakar 2026.
Malhan secured a 2–0 victory over Sow today, delivering a landmark result for the Emirates and marking a significant moment for the development of badminton in the country.
The triumph represents the UAE’s first gold medal since the Youth Olympic Games were established in 2010 and only its second medal overall. The country’s previous success came at the 2018 edition in Buenos Aires, where Emirati showjumper Omar Al Marzooqi claimed silver.
Malhan’s achievement therefore takes the UAE’s Youth Olympic medal tally to two, while establishing a new benchmark for the nation’s badminton programme on the international stage.
The fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games is being held in Dakar, Senegal, marking the event’s first time on African soil. The competition brings together young athletes from around the world across a range of sporting disciplines.
The medal ceremony was attended by Saeed Hamdan Al Naqbi, UAE Ambassador to Senegal, and Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the UAE Olympic Committee, underlining the significance of the victory for the country’s sporting delegation.
Malhan’s gold marks a historic breakthrough for Emirati sport, adding a new achievement to the UAE’s growing presence in international youth competition.
