The Youth Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Dakar, will bring together about 2,700 athletes, most of whom are 17 years old or younger. To help these young competitors navigate the challenges of elite sports, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has chosen 36 experienced athletes to serve as mentors. Nineteen of these athletes are from African Olympic committees. Their roles include assisting with career planning, injury prevention, and mental preparation. Among them is Ruth Gbagbi, a taekwondo athlete from Ivory Coast who competed in the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 when she was 16. She later competed in four Olympic Games, winning two bronze medals in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Now, she is returning to the YOG in a new role, mentoring the next generation of athletes in Dakar. The program of "Athletes Role Models" has been in place since the first Youth Olympic Games in 2010. These athletes are required to spend at least five days in Senegal, engaging in discussions, training sessions, and workshops focused on career development and injury prevention. Kaylia Nemour, a 17-year-old Algerian gymnast, is one of the selected mentors. She recently won a gold medal on the asymmetric bars at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming the first African athlete to win a gymnastics medal at the Olympics. Her success provides a recent example of how young athletes can reach the top level of their sport during adolescence. Other notable role models include Blessing Oborududu, a Nigerian wrestler who won a silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and has earned 14 African championship titles. The Bourhis brothers, Jean-Pierre and Yves, from Senegal, also serve as mentors. Jean-Pierre competed in canoe slalom at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, while his brother Yves competed in Paris 2024, reaching the slalom final. The list of role models also includes athletes like Halimah Nakaayi, an Ugandan world champion in the 800 meters, and Egyptian athletes such as Dina Meshref and Doaa Elghobashy. Their experiences are valuable for young athletes navigating the pressures of international competition, balancing education and sports, and dealing with media attention. The program aims to provide insights into the less visible aspects of a sports career, such as managing failure and dealing with injuries. However, its long-term impact will depend on how much time is spent in these exchanges and how they are integrated into the athletes' busy schedules. For the young competitors in Dakar, the opportunity to learn from athletes who have already navigated these challenges is a significant advantage as they pursue their own goals.