Emirati sprinter Arwa Ali has won the silver medal in the women's 100 metres at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, clocking 11.41 seconds. She finished behind Nigeria's Rosemary Nwankwo, who took gold in 11.16 seconds, while Qatar's Dana Salem claimed bronze in 11.48 seconds.

The result lifts the UAE's medal tally at these Games to two: Ali's silver and the gold won earlier by Riyan Malhan in badminton, which was itself the country's first-ever Youth Olympic gold medal.

Ali arrives in Dakar with a strong recent record. At the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, she won gold in the same event with a time of 11.45 seconds, meaning her silver-medal run in Senegal came in even faster than that title-winning performance.

The UAE athletics squad had more to celebrate in Dakar beyond Ali's run. Sprinters Saeed Omar and Aisha Mohammed both advanced to the finals of the 400 metres, giving the team further chances to add to its medal count before the Games close.

Held every four years for teenage and young adult athletes, the Youth Olympic Games are taking place in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, marking the first time the event has been staged on African soil. For a federation still building its global athletics presence, Ali's run and the squad's other finals appearances mark some of the most encouraging results the UAE has produced at a multi-sport youth event in recent years.