DRC Fencing Athlete Prepares for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics

Mervie Yembele, a 16-year-old fencer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is preparing for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Training in the Lemba district of Kinshasa, Yembele practices saber fencing on outdoor terrain due to a lack of specialized infrastructure and equipment.

Yembele is part of a nine-athlete Congolese delegation selected for the games, which are scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026. The delegation includes athletes competing in athletics, judo, swimming, taekwondo, and beach volleyball. While the beach volleyball pair qualified directly, other disciplines received spots through universality places granted by the International Olympic Committee.

Fencing remains a niche sport in the DRC, where football dominates the sporting landscape. Yembele, who discovered the sport while watching the 2016 Rio Olympics, aims to secure a medal and bring Olympic success to his country.