A special relaxation zone at the ongoing Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games has provided an environment where athletes can make new friends and enjoy a chill vibe between their competitions.
Away from the pressure of the arena, the rest area has become a magnet for competitors from around the world, offering air-conditioned relief from the Senegalese heat alongside games, workshops and open spaces where athletes from different countries can simply spend time together.
"I think when you come back from your sport, like I came back from swimming today, the air conditioning helps for sure because of the heat outside. But also, just the noise of people having fun kind of settles you down. There's no intensity of competition. Everyone's relaxed. No one's focused on what they're doing. Everyone's just here with a chill vibe," said Connor Grist, a Zimbabwean swimmer.
The zone is about more than rest, however, as it also gives young competitors a chance to pick up knowledge on how to stay safe and look out for one another.
"It's really good because, through the Pink Place, we're learning so many things, like safeguarding and many other things. And it has really helped us," said Angeliki Charissaki, a Greek beach volleyball player.
For many, it is less a facility than a social hub, a place where the boundaries between teams and nations quietly dissolve.
"I would say this building is really a comfortable place for all the athletes because we come here to relax, enjoy ourselves and make friends. We can also meet people from different countries here. I'd say it's a wonderful experience being in this building," said Kwandokuhle Nkomazana, another Zimbabwean swimmer.
"Yeah, during the competition, it's very helpful, especially since the weather is so hot. And here there's air conditioning, so you can just sit down and relax and kind of forget about everything until the next day," Kelvin Abdallah, a Ghanaian swimmer.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games opened on October 31 and will run until November 13, marking the first time an Olympic-level event has been held on African soil.
Young athletes enjoy relaxation zone, cross-cultural friendship at Dakar 2026
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar in Beijing on Tuesday.
Noting that in recent years, under the guidance of the two countries' leaders, the China-Slovakia strategic partnership has maintained high-level momentum, Wang said the relationship has become a model for countries of different sizes and systems to coexist in friendship, treat each other as equals and pursue win-win cooperation.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, briefed the Slovak side on the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He said that China is ready to enhance experience sharing with Slovakia on party and state governance, make good use of mechanisms such as the intergovernmental cooperation committee, and increase people-to-people and grassroots exchanges.
China is ready to work with Slovakia to act on the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity, Wang said.
China always believes that China and Europe should remain committed to properly resolving frictions and differences through dialogue and consultation, and hopes Slovakia will continue to play a constructive role in the sound and steady development of China-Europe relations, Wang noted.
Blanar congratulated China on the successful convening of the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, saying that the overall leadership of the Party and long-term political and social stability are the institutional strength and political guarantee behind China's sustained and rapid development. Slovakia is ready to strengthen inter-party exchanges with China, he added.
Blanar noted that Slovakia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and always regards China as an important partner. Slovakia will continue to do its utmost to provide a stable and sound environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and cooperate in the country and offer greater facilitation for personnel exchanges, he said.
Slovakia is also ready to play a constructive role in Europe-China dialogue and cooperation and will continue to support and take part in China-Central and Eastern European Countries cooperation, Blanar added.
Chinese FM holds talks with Slovak counterpart
