Freestyle, Beach Wrestling to Highlight 2022 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 20) – United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee have announced that men’s freestyle, women’s wrestling and beach wrestling will be featured at the 2022 Youth Olympic Games to be held in Dakar, Senegal.

The new styles and the additional allocations per weight class (10) gives the sport of wrestling considerably more allocations versus its 2018 numbers. Also, with 18 weight categories wrestling has the most events of any combat sport, and the third most overall behind Athletics and Aquatics.

“We are excited to offer Beach Wrestling at the Youth Olympic Games,” said UWW president and IOC executive board member Nenad Lalovic. “African wrestling is very popular in Senegal and we know that adding beach wrestling will mean incredible local crowds.”

The Youth Olympic Games are often used as a testing ground for the viability of future sports (i.e. 3x3 basketball) and are not reflective of the Olympic schedules in 2024 and 2028. Greco-Roman and a yet to-be-determined style will be on tap for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

 More information of Dakar 2020 will be available in the coming months.