Puerto Rico’s beach volleyball duo of Dana Rodríguez and Arialeey Serrano lost their debut at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Saturday, falling in two sets, 21-14 and 21-6, to Switzerland’s Noemi Eugster and Anja Gaehwiler in a Group C match at Saly Beach West. The Swiss pair, seeded third in the tournament and ninth-place finishers at the 2026 U-18 World Championship, arrived with the most international experience among Group C teams.
Rodríguez and Serrano return Sunday for a doubleheader to close group play: against Ecuador’s Scar and Isa at 11:00 AM Dakar time (7:00 AM in Puerto Rico), then Mexico’s Ángela and Yazbeth at 4:00 PM Dakar (12:00 PM Puerto Rico). Also Saturday, Steven Moreno and Valentina Dávila debut in the mixed doubles round of 16 in table tennis, facing the winner of Korea’s Heo and Lee versus Brazil’s Okano and Borges at 12:00 PM Dakar (8:00 AM Puerto Rico).
The Opening Ceremony is set for 6:30 PM Dakar time (2:30 PM Puerto Rico), with flag bearers Esmeralda Butler (skateboarding) and Steven Moreno Rivera (table tennis) leading a Puerto Rican delegation of 29 athletes in 10 sports.