In a few weeks, the Tokyo Olympic Games will begin. This event for Chadian athletes is the moment to highlight their culture, their values but also all the sacrifices made over the years. And it is thanks to Israel Mardaye and Hourtou Marlyse, that the colors of the country will be able to be represented in the archery events next July.
Israel Madaye is still on cloud nine today. Indeed his qualification has been one of the greatest joys of his athletic career to date. He will never forget August 30, 2019 in Sale, Morocco because his qualification was won in pain. Indeed, despite his fighting spirit and losing his match in the semi-final against an Egyptian, he said goodbye to qualifying for the Olympics.
But there was still hope, very scant of course, of being drafted. Indeed, if the mixed team of Egypt qualified for the final then the Chadian would be qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. From then on, in order to support its champion, all the Chadian people became Egyptian. The miracle happened as the mixed Egypt team won the semi-final.
Chadian supporters were jubilant. So much so that one would have thought that it was Chad who had just won the competition. It was madness in the streets of Salé and Rabat. The Chadians were proud and happy to see one of their own qualified. What an honor for Israel Mardaye to see our people behind him!
As for Hourtou Marlyse, after two years spent at the World Shooting Center, a major training and training center for athletes in Lausanne, she is certain that she is stronger mentally, physically and technically. But that’s not all. She knew how to surround herself. With a Korean trainer, specialist in the matter, she could only progress. Proof of this is that she holds the historic record of 623 points in official competition. 623 points is the women’s record for Chad but also for Africa.
Back home recently and following the health crisis, Hourtou Marlyse is ready to hope to win a medal. The whole country believes in it and is even certain of it.
For our two athletes, the step remains high, but without a doubt, they will take pleasure in confronting the best archers in the world and wearing blue, gold and red high. For Israel and Hourtou, all the sacrifices made could finally pay off.
But let’s not forget that we should not support our champions only morally. Chadian archery has difficulty surviving despite the quality of its archers. For Israel and Marlyse, it is the passion, tenacity, will, relentlessness during training and thirst for victory that allowed them to reach such a level. We must therefore do more because the Chadian national Olympic team is often built through archery.
Anyway, according to Colomb Nguélé, the president of the Chadian Archery Federation “The objective we are looking for is to bring back medals, to register ourselves in the Olympic annals of archery. arc and thus mark the history of Chad ”.
Let us all stand behind our champions and pray that the color of our medals is the same color as the gold of our flag!
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