Dynamic Duo To Attend Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games
June 10, 2026 | by Nabillah Akhtar
England Boxing is delighted to announce that Lily Bassett and Michael Maughan will be representing Team GB at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
They are amongst the first athletes to be selected in the cohort and will be in action between 31st October – 13th November 2026. The prestigious event will be bringing together around 2,700 young athletes overall for what will be the first Olympic sporting event ever to be held in Africa.
Bassett, 16, of TM Boxing will compete under the Under 48kg weight division whilst teammate, Maughan (Stockport and Brinnington Boxing Club) will be battling it out in the Under 70kg category.
South Londoner Bassett, who holds three consecutive junior European titles, said: “I’m really excited and proud to have been selected for the Youth Olympics. It’s something I’ve been working towards for a long time so to get this opportunity means the world to me. All the hard work in training and the support from my coaches, family and team has helped me get here.”
“Representing Team GB is a massive honour, it’s every athlete’s dream to compete for their country and I can’t wait to wear the Team GB kit and step out on that stage. I’m really looking forward to testing myself against some of the best young boxers in the world.”
“My goal for the competition is to go out there and bring home the gold for Team GB. I’ve put in a lot of hard work to get here, and I believe in myself and what I can do. I want to perform at my best, gain experience at this level and make the most of the opportunity by giving everything I’ve got.”
16-year-old Northerner, Maughan, who won his first European title just last year also commented: “I feel very honoured and proud to represent my country and very grateful to be given the opportunity to box on the world’s best stage.”
“Preparing to represent Team GB is a proud and exciting opportunity it means giving my best every day in training, staying disciplined and representing my country with professionalism, respect and pride both in and out of the ring.”
“My goals for the competition is of course like any other and that is to come back with a gold medal for Britain and show the world who I am and to become Youth Olympic Champion.”
Previous Youth Olympic Games medallists include Caroline Dubois (Gold), Karol Itauma (Gold), Ivan Hope Price (Gold) and Hassan Azim (Bronze), all of whom represented Great Britain at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.
