Charlotte Thurston has qualified to represent the UAE at the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games.
The UAE Triathlon Federation confirmed her place after a run of results across regional, Asian and world-level events.
Thurston won gold at the West Asia Championship in Fujairah, then followed that with a strong finish at the Asian Championship in Saudi Arabia. She also competed at the World Championship in Australia.
The results were enough to secure her qualification for the Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
Abdul-Malik Jani, President of the UAE Triathlon Federation, said the qualification shows the work being done to develop young athletes in the country.
He said the federation’s focus on youth development had helped strengthen the UAE’s presence in international triathlon.
This will be a major step in Thurston’s young career. For UAE triathlon, it throws down another marker of progress on the international stage.
