Ariel Muchirahondo won a second gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Photo / IOC
Ariel Muchirahondo won a second gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Photo / IOC
Rotorua swimming sensation Ariel Muchirahondo has made history.
The 17-year-old became the first New Zealand swimmer to win multiple medals at a Youth Olympic Games after picking up his second gold medal in the 100m backstroke in Dakar overnight.
“It was a really close race. I think I’m relieved andprideful that I came out on top,” he told Olympics.com.
It goes with the gold he won in the 200m backstroke on the opening day of the games.
Ariel Muchirahondo at the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics in Senegal. Photo / Supplied
Muchirahondo stayed within range of Greece’s Nikolaos Papatheodorou during his 100m backstroke final before suddenly lunging for the wall for a time of 55.69, just one tenth of a second ahead of Papatheodorou, Swimming New Zealand said today.
Miguel Reis Oliveira from Portugal took bronze.
Muchirahondo also served as a joint flagbearer for the New Zealand team at the opening ceremony.
In 2025, Muchirahondo smashed Olympic champion Danyon Loader’s 400m individual medley New Zealand record by more than four seconds during qualification for the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Romania.
Ariel Muchirahondo is the first New Zealand swimmer to win multiple medals at a Youth Olympic Games. Photo / Supplied
He also won gold and broke records at the 2024 Queensland Championships.
Muchirahondo has two more chances to add to his medal tally, with the 200m individual medley and 200m freestyle in the coming days.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games take place over 14 days across seven venues, in host zones of Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
The New Zealand Team is represented by 18 athletes across boxing, swimming, archery, triathlon, equestrian, badminton, fencing, gymnastics, windsurfing, table tennis, beach wrestling and wushu.
