Ben Porter, 16, is the first Woking Gymnastics Club member picked for a Youth Olympic Games. He is one of six Team GB gymnasts heading to Dakar on 31 October.
Ben Porter, a 16-year-old gymnast from Woking Gymnastics Club, will represent Great Britain at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. He is the first gymnast in the club’s history to be picked for the Games.
The British Olympic Association named him among 15 Team GB athletes for Dakar 2026. The club announced the news on its own website on Monday.
The Games
Dakar 2026 runs from 31 October to 13 November. Team GB says it will be the first Olympic sporting event held on African soil, with around 2,700 young athletes from across the world.
Team GB’s squad is small and young. All 15 athletes are aged between 14 and 18, across seven sports:
- archery
- badminton
- boxing
- coastal rowing beach sprint
- fencing
- gymnastics
- sailing
Gymnastics is the largest group, with six gymnasts. According to the club, Ben is one of three men’s artistic gymnasts selected.
How he got there
The club’s own competition reports chart his last two seasons:
- 2025 British Championships: silver on rings.
- 2026 British Championships, under-18s: sixth overall with 69.95, then bronze on parallel bars and fourth on high bar in the apparatus finals.
- 2026 British Team Championships: part of the Woking senior team that finished fourth of 11 for the Adams Shield, alongside his brothers Josh and Oli.
His first local honour came earlier. In January 2023 he was named Young Sports Personality of the Year at the 2022 Sport Woking Awards, run by the borough council.
The club says his route has included injuries and setbacks along the way.
What he said
In the club’s announcement, Ben said: “I’m incredibly honoured to have been selected to represent Team GB at the Youth Olympic Games. It’s a dream come true and an opportunity I’ve worked towards for a long time.”
He added: “I’m excited to test myself against some of the best young gymnasts in the world and make the most of every moment. I wouldn’t be here without the support of everyone at Woking Gymnastics Club, especially my coaches and teammates who have been part of the journey.”
What it means for Woking
Woking Gymnastics Club trains from Kingfield Road in GU22 and is a registered charity. It says it has more than 1,500 members, from under-5s classes to elite squads. Earlier this year it was named British Gymnastics Community Club of the Year.
The same club runs after-school, additional needs and adult classes alongside its competitive squads.
What it means for you
- To follow him: Team GB’s Dakar 2026 coverage and the club’s news page will carry results.
- To try the sport: the club lists its classes for every age on its classes page.
We will report how he gets on in Dakar.
Have your say