Francophone Games Committee Spotlights Three African Competitors

Marking World Judo Day, the International Committee of the Francophone Games has spotlighted three female competitors advancing through its athlete support program. Madagascar’s Laura Rasoanaivo, Mauritius’s Tracy Loanne Durhone, and Cameroon’s Marie-Céline Baba-Matia have each utilized the initiative to secure international tournament access and high-level training camps, womensports.fr reported.

How Laura Rasoanaivo Targets the African Elite

Laura Rasoanaivo secured a bronze medal at the senior African Championships in Kenya in May 2025. Selected for the 2024 and 2025 cohorts of the Francophone Games committee program, the Malgache judoka competed at the Johannesburg Open in June and the Lausanne Grand Slam in August, alongside qualification for the senior World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Financial backing from the committee enabled her participation in international competitions and training blocks. The support of the CIJF is crucial for my sporting success, Rasoanaivo said regarding the funding for her training and tournament appearances.

Why Tracy Loanne Durhone Counts Every International Bout

Competing in the over-78 kg division, Tracy Loanne Durhone won a national competition at age 15, just eight months after undergoing knee and tibia surgery. The Mauricienne secured second place at the African Open in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and third place at the Abidjan Open in Côte d’Ivoire during the 2025 season, results that propelled her into the top 100 of the world rankings.

With limited financial resources available domestically in Mauritius, competing abroad remains the primary mechanism for career progression. The support of the CIJF has been decisive in situating myself on the international stage and measuring my progress, Durhone stated after taking several overseas trips without direct national team staff accompaniment.

Where Marie-Céline Baba-Matia Directs Her Olympic Ambitions

Marie-Céline Baba-Matia claimed two gold medals at the 2023 Francophone Games in Kinshasa after winning the junior African title in Madagascar that same year. Competing in the under-52 kg weight class, the Cameroonian judoka added a silver medal at the 2024 African Games in Accra, a bronze at the 2025 senior African Championships in Abidjan, and another silver at the 2026 edition in Nairobi, alongside eight national titles and a bronze at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Ranked 30th globally and selected for the 2026 support promotion, Baba-Matia maintains a broader perspective on competitive longevity. I have learned that performance is not just about a medal: it is also built on the ability to bounce back after a defeat, to believe in oneself in difficult moments and to keep moving forward despite obstacles, she noted, with her sights set on qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

What Support Structures Mean for Women in African Sport

Across Madagascar, Mauritius, and Cameroon, the Francophone Games committee program addresses structural funding gaps that historically limit female athletic retention and international exposure. By absorbing travel costs for World tour events and specialized camps, the initiative targets technical development, global ranking points, and long-term career viability.

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