November 12, 2026
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Grasso Castagnetta and Kyriazakos crowned Youth Olympic champions in Saly
Italy's Laura Grasso Castagnetta won gold on a tie-break and Greece's Evangelos Kyriazakos completed a dominant week as the windsurfing competition at Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event held in Africa, came to a close.
The women’s title could not have been closer. With the final race unable to go ahead in light shifty winds, Grasso Castagnetta and Spain’s Olivia Sanchez finished level on 24 points after 14 races, with the Italian taking gold on the tie-break.
“I couldn’t expect to reach this goal,” said Grasso Castagnetta. “When I understood that I could take it, I gave it my best. I had a very big support from all of Italy. My coaches, my teammates, my parents, all my city was with me.”
The new champion will not be off the water for long. “I need some rest, but very little, because I want to train again,” she said. “I can’t live without windsurfing.”
Sanchez took silver after a week-long duel. “We were battling, the Italian girl and me,” she said. “Every day we had something to do better because we’ve been very close to each other, so I had fun.”
China’s Wu Ziyan won the last race of the regatta to secure bronze, three points back, after winning the first three races of the week.
In the men’s fleet, Kyriazakos won 10 of the 14 races to take gold by 16 points, a run that included eight consecutive victories. “I believe my consistency and my hard work paid off,” he said. “I haven’t realised it yet. But when I will, it’s going to be amazing.” He thanked “my family, my friends, my brother” and now turns his attention to the European Championships in Sardinia next spring.
Hong Kong’s Ng Hoi Tik took silver. “In this week I kept myself relaxed and didn’t give too much pressure on myself,” he said. “Without you guys, I think I can’t win this,” he told his supporters.
Tunisia’s Rayen Briki claimed bronze, a medal for Africa at the first Olympic event held on the continent. “I am very, very happy,” said Briki, who finished five points clear of Thailand’s Ittipol Yomjinda in fourth.
Briki’s medal caps a week in which sailors from across the continent, many supported through World Sailing’s African training programme, raced alongside the world’s best young windsurfers on home waters.
Full results at dakar2026.sailing.org/results.