As the Youth Olympic Games (JOJ) draw attention to Dakar, a separate, long-standing sporting movement continues to gather hundreds of participants each morning on the beach of Ngor.
The Dauphins club provides aquatic exercise sessions designed to assist those managing physical ailments, ranging from chronic joint pain to the recovery phases following severe health incidents.
The sessions, which typically begin at 7:30 a.m. local time, offer a specialized environment where the buoyancy of the ocean reduces strain on the body. For participants like Yayé Habibata, who travels from Keur Massar to attend, the water provides a mobility that is otherwise unattainable. “In the water, I can perform certain movements that are more difficult for me on land,” Habibata told RFI.
The program was founded by Ndiamé Sambe, an retired firefighter specialized in subaquatic interventions. Concerned by the isolation faced by the elderly in his native Ngor, Sambe started the group with only ten participants. Today, the club estimates it serves between 200 and 300 people daily, organizing them into groups based on their specific physical needs and mobility levels.
The transition from land-based exercise to the sea is central to the club’s approach, according to participants. Exercises typically begin on the sand before moving into the water, where the resistance helps build muscle strength while the natural movement of the waves challenges balance.
For Ibrahima, 55, who began attending in a wheelchair due to cervical arthrosis, the sessions have helped his recovery. “Now, I walk, I write again and I can come to the sessions alone,” Ibrahima said.
Beyond the physical benefits, the group has evolved into a social support network for its members. Khady Sow, an airport agent, credits the community with helping her overcome a personal fear of the sea.
“This group has become a family. We all know each other now,” Sow said. The social aspect is reinforced by the members themselves, many of whom share transportation from similar neighborhoods to ensure those with mobility issues can attend.
The demographic of the Dauphins is diverse, including individuals like 81-year-old Coura Cissé, the group’s oldest member, and former minister Amadou Kane Diallo. While the program is open to all, it also addresses the economic barriers to traditional physical therapy. Participants contribute a monthly fee of 10,000 francs to cover equipment and support the volunteer coaches, though Sambe maintains that those unable to pay are still welcome to join.
Despite the growth of the club, the challenge of accessibility remains a primary concern for many families. Participants traveling from distant suburbs, such as Thiaroye, must use complex transportation routes to reach the coast. For these members, the commitment to the sessions is often dictated by a necessity for health maintenance, with families prioritizing the commute despite the logistical difficulties involved.
As the sessions continue, the daily gathering at Ngor remains a consistent routine for hundreds, marking a quiet, persistent chapter in Dakar’s sporting life.
