The Senegalese delegation finally won its first title in the 13th African Games (Accra: March 8 – 23, 2024). A gold medal won yesterday by Monica Sagna, in the premier category, for women, +78kg. Three other charms, 2 in silver and one in bronze, also fell into the hands of the “Lions”. Ousseynou POUYE (Sent […]
The Senegalese delegation finally won its first title in the 13th African Games (Accra: March 8 – 23, 2024). A gold medal won yesterday by Monica Sagna, in the premier category, for women, +78kg. Three other charms, 2 in silver and one in bronze, also fell into the hands of the “Lions”.
Ousseynou POUYE (Special Envoy)
ACCRA (GHANA) – After two days of shortage for the Senegalese delegation to the 13th African Games (March 8 – 23, 2024), we had to get back on track, yesterday, Thursday, in Accra. And who, apart from the judo fighters, the only ones in the running today, to allow the country to once again fill its medal table? The protégés of coach Abdou Karim Seck then played their part well at the Ga Mashie Gymnasium in the Ghanaian capital where they distinguished themselves in the heavyweight categories, for both girls and boys. The one who stood out the most was Monica Sagna who won the title (+78kg) among the ladies. Opposed to the Tunisian Sarra Mzougui, who beat her three times in the past, for the gold medal, she demonstrated flawless mastery to push her opponent into error and win the fight in the points.
Having entered her fight with a warning given to her opposite number, Monica maneuvered to win, finally, against her opponent.
Following him, Mbagnick Ndiaye, who put his title acquired in 2019 in Rabat on the line, failed to retain his crown. Facing the Algerian Mohamed El Mehdi Lili, the three-time African champion in the category held his own until 32 seconds from the end of the fight. Before his opponent equalized, then won in the golden score by ippon. A disappointment for the public, mostly committed to the Senegalese cause. But for Mbagnick Ndiaye, it is indeed redemption after health concerns. “I have come a long way, after more than two months of injury. I resumed last week and this competition will prepare us for the next World Championships for qualification for the Olympic Games,” he revealed. Not without making an appointment for the next world games where he will seek qualification for the Paris meeting.
Like Mbagnick, Abderrahmane Diao was content with money in the absence of gold. Against the Tunisian Abdelaziz Ben Ammar, he showed some signs of running out of steam during a fight lost on ippon.
A little earlier, Georgette Sagna had shown the way in the Senegalese camp. In the same category as her sister, she won bronze in the +78kg by winning the final by ippon against the Egyptian Soliman Kadry Hashem Soliman Safa. A first podium which set the tone for a fruitful afternoon for the Senegalese delegation which returns to the tatamis this Friday with the team competitions, with new hopes of a podium.
SWIMMING
Dtn Thierno Diouf satisfied with Senegalese performances
In Accra, Senegalese swimmers won three bronze medals, with Oumy Diop twice and Steven Aimable. Two athletes who also broke Senegal records. Performances, among others, which constitute a reason for satisfaction for the National Technical Director (Dtn), Thierno Diouf who, moreover, deplored the situation of the National Olympic Swimming Pool which impacts the performances of Senegalese swimmers.
ACCRA – The final swimming events of the 13th African Games (Accra, March 8 – 23, 2024) were contested on Wednesday. Senegal won three bronze medals. Two national records were broken and finals contested. A 10This place, in the general classification, ultimately sanctioned the Senegalese participation. “I consider that this is a satisfactory result, insofar as we must always compare it with the previous participation. In 2019, in Morocco, swimming had no medals. And if I remember correctly, it was in 2007 that we had 3 medals at the African Games. So if we come back in 2023 to collect three more medals, it is extremely important,” appreciated Thierno Diouf. He finds it a satisfactory result, especially since the bar has been very high. “As it is an Olympic year, many swimmers came to seek qualification for the Olympics. The Egyptians and South Africans came to achieve the minimums; So imagine the level that this has led to and which suits us. It allowed us, in addition to the three medals, to break two records by Oumy Diop for the 50m butterfly and Steven Aimable who improved the 50m backstroke record,” he added.
Senegalese swimming therefore finished its competitions last Wednesday, with three finals contested by its athletes. Even if no medal was recorded during this final day, the Dtn is satisfied with the performances of its protégés. “From the moment you participate in a final at the level of African swimming, it is already a big step forward. Because sometimes, for each event, there are around twenty countries registering. And there are only eight swimmers who make it to the final. And Senegal, out of three events, qualified at least in the final for both. Also, as we have seen, there is a significantly higher level on the part of Egypt and South Africa, and even Algeria. This is why we continue to test ourselves,” said Thierno Diouf. According to him, the 6th place obtained in the final of the 4x100m medley by the Senegalese relay is “quite comfortable”. Which is also promising, especially since in 45 days there will be the African Championships in Angola for which the swimmers are preparing.
The performance of the swimming “Lions” is equally commendable for the technician who recalled that swimming brought to Accra just four boy swimmers. “This was a major difficulty compared to the relay. Because when we qualify, generally in the afternoon, the other nations strengthen the team; or by two other much fresher swimmers. There is a strategy to make some recover to qualify and in relation to the final, compete in the race with fresh swimmers,” he said. An opportunity that was not offered to the delegation of four swimmers who competed in the relays in addition to the individual events, despite fatigue. “Which means that if they manage to qualify, it is already an extremely important thing for me. We therefore find 6th place satisfactory, given the level but also the conditions in which we find ourselves at these African Games,” declared Mr. Diouf.
Preparation for the African Championships
After Accra, Senegalese athletes have their eyes set on Luanda, Angola, where the African Swimming Championships are planned. And the Dtn noted that after the competition, Matthieu Ousmane Sèye and Oumy Diop returned “because they have permission from their universities. They also have university competitions, especially for Matthieu, on March 15 (today) in France. There, they will continue preparations for the African Championships.” He still regretted the situation of the swimmers who are in the country, in particular El Hadj Adama Niane. This, with the breakdown of the Olympic swimming pool which had a significant impact on its level. “Physically, he doesn’t often last in the last 25 meters. He drags, which is linked to a lack of physical condition because quite simply, he did his preparation in pools that are not 50 m; sometimes they are 15 or 25 m pools,” Thierno Diouf informed. In his eyes, the state of the Olympic swimming pool constitutes an obstacle to the development of Senegalese swimming; “especially since our elite swimmers cannot train there for a full month without there being breakdowns. This impacts our performance.”
The hope of better swimming
The Dtn of swimming is convinced that with the results recorded in Accra, the future of the discipline in Senegal is quite promising. He believes that we are getting closer to the big swimming nations and what is interesting is that we have young swimmers. “Oumy is under 21 and is at this level, at this age. The Egyptian Farida Osman, who is over 30 years old, continues to perform. So if we have Oumy who is, at most, three seconds behind her, we can hope that within two to three years, she will be able to occupy the roof of Africa in her event,” he noted. . Thierno Diouf also underlined that there is Steven Aimable who “was in decline for a while and who, for some time, has become efficient again. We have seen, since the World Championships, in July 2023, and during the last World Championships in Doha, last February, that he has made a big leap.” According to him, he confirmed in Accra with a record from Senegal; “which means it is progressing.” Just like, he adds, Matthieu Ousmane Sèye who “also holds two Senegal records and which are quite recent, just two months ago. They are competing to win their tickets for “Paris 2024”. Which means that we are in a context that can push our swimmers to a much more efficient level.” The Dtn hopes that the next African Championships will be an opportunity to confirm this progress and “we will be able to collect many more medals”.
Ousseynou POUYE (Special Envoy)
Source :
2024-03-15 22:21:05
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