Zain Ali Eyes a Butterfly Treble as Markgraaff and Esterhuizen Book Dakar Finals

Egypt's double butterfly champion qualifies second for the men's 200m butterfly final, Namibia's Lorenzo Esterhuizen reaches his first final of the Games, South Africa's Leah Markgraaff claims the last place in the women's 200m freestyle final, and Matthew Goller misses out by 0.18, as 22 African swimmers from 16 nations race on day six

DAKAR, Senegal, Friday 6 November 2026 – Zain Ali has already won the 50m and 100m butterfly at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. On Friday morning the Egyptian took the first step towards a third title, winning his heat of the men's 200m butterfly in 2:04.31 and qualifying second for this afternoon's final.

Only Colombia's Nicolas Kokidko, who won the other heat in 2:04.15, was faster, by just 0.16 seconds.

Ali will have African company in the final. Namibia's Lorenzo Esterhuizen qualified sixth in 2:10.82, his first final of the Games. In the women's 200m freestyle, South Africa's Leah Markgraaff, silver medallist in the 400m freestyle on the opening day, took the eighth and last place in the final in 2:08.06.

In all, 22 African swimmers from 16 nations raced the three events at the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf.

Ali: One Step from a Treble

Ali swam from lane four in the second heat and turned in 26.40 at 50m and 57.24 at 100m. He stayed in control on the way home, finishing in 2:04.31 to win the heat and take second place overall, 0.99 ahead of India's Tirthank Pegu in third (2:05.30).

The 200m is the longest of the three butterfly events, and Ali goes into the final with a chance to win all three.

Esterhuizen: A First Final

Namibia's Lorenzo Esterhuizen had come close several times this week, finishing 11th in the 100m backstroke and 12th in the 50m backstroke. In the 200m butterfly he made the step up. He had the fastest reaction in the field (0.62), finished third in the first heat in 2:10.82 and qualified sixth overall, more than two seconds clear of the cut-off.

Comoros' Ali El Wafa Younes, at 15 the youngest swimmer in the event, completed the distance in 2:42.76.

Markgraaff: The Last Ticket

Leah Markgraaff swam from lane two in the fourth heat of the women's 200m freestyle and paced her race evenly. After going out in 29.68 and turning at 100m in 1:02.19, she split 32.90 and 32.97 over the last two lengths to finish fourth in the heat in 2:08.06. That gave her the eighth and final place in the final, 0.98 seconds clear of Estonia's Maari Randvaeli, the first reserve. Her 0.60 reaction was the second-fastest in the field.

It gives Markgraaff a second final of the Games, after the 400m freestyle in which she won Africa's first swimming medal of Dakar 2026.

Zouaghi Leads the Rest

Tunisia's Ilef Zouaghi, 14, who finished fifth in that 400m freestyle, was third in her heat of the 200m in 2:10.11, 12th overall. Zimbabwe's Alexis Johnsen (18th, 2:12.63), Namibia's Madison Sara Bergh (19th, 2:13.04) and Morocco's Yasmin Rhalmane Hmidi (20th, 2:13.66) followed.

Angola's Rhanya Santo again finished with a flourish. Her final length of 33.17 was more than four seconds faster than her third length and second only to Markgraaff's (32.97) among the African swimmers. She finished 26th in 2:18.38, just behind Nigeria's O.T. Akinsanmi (25th, 2:18.08), who also closed strongly in 33.77. Kenya's Isabelle Mwangi (28th, 2:21.14), Cabo Verde's Kaila Dacruz (30th, 2:22.78) and Comoros' K.M.T. Ibrahim (32nd, 2:27.56, second in her heat) completed the African field of ten.

Goller: So Close in the 200m Freestyle

In the men's 200m freestyle, South Africa's Matthew Goller, fifth in Tuesday's 400m freestyle, was third in the fourth heat in 1:53.35. He finished tenth overall, only 0.18 seconds outside the final and 0.14 behind first reserve Lee Jihoo of Korea, and is second reserve.

Tunisia's Youssef Douma, sixth in the 400m, was 27th in 1:59.21, with Zambia's Mulenga Cole 29th in 1:59.98. Zimbabwe's Connor Nicholas Grist again finished strongly, closing in 30.07, more than a second and a half faster than his third length, to finish third in his heat in 2:00.52, 30th overall.

Uganda's Mark Arthur Mwase had the fastest reaction of all 42 swimmers (0.56), having shared the fastest in the 400m freestyle, and was second in the first heat in 2:05.39. Angola's Santiago Guimaraes (0.59 reaction) was 39th, Libya's Yousef Elwalid 40th, Rwanda's Sheja Murenzi, the youngest swimmer in the field, 41st, and Tanzania's Zack Okumu 42nd after a 32.97 final length.

Looking Ahead to the Afternoon Finals

Ali in the men's 200m butterfly, Esterhuizen in the same final and Markgraaff in the women's 200m freestyle carry Africa's hopes into this afternoon's finals, with Goller waiting as reserve. Africa's swimming medal count stands at five, and Ali has the chance to make it six. The swimming programme at Dakar 2026 continues at the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf.

Results: African Swimmers – Day 6 Heats

African Finalists and Reserves

Women's 200m Freestyle – Heats (Field: 33; Final Cut-Off 2:08.06)

Men's 200m Freestyle – Heats (Field: 42; Final Cut-Off 1:53.17)

Men's 200m Butterfly – Heats (Field: 11; Final Cut-Off 2:12.90)

Session Participation

22 African swimmers from 16 nations: Angola, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

African Swimming Medal Tracker – Dakar 2026 (Cumulative)

Ages as at 6 November 2026, from dates of birth on the results.

Sources: Official Results Summaries, Day 6 Heats (Women's and Men's 200m Freestyle, Men's 200m Butterfly), Dakar 2026 (Friday 6 November 2026).