Can you provide an update on the current state of African athletics in light of recent international sporting events ?
It is an honor for me to answer your questions and to be one of the first to be approached in the context of this new communication program of the African Athletics Confederation.
Regarding the technical situation of athletics in Africa, we have seen constant progress in recent years. Indeed, Africa is one of the last continents to have emerged in the global athletics arena. For decades, Africa was virtually absent from the podiums, and it was very difficult for an African athlete to win a medal or to be among the best in the world. Today, this has become possible and is increasingly being confirmed.
Over the past two or three decades, Africa has gained a certain notoriety in several events, to the point where many believed that these events were reserved for Africans only. This situation has led to the naturalization of a significant number of African athletes who now represent non-African nationalities. This phenomenon deserves analysis.
At one point, African athletes established a true hegemony, winning nearly effortlessly in events ranging from the 100 meters to the marathon. Some nations may have thought it had become impossible for them to win medals in these disciplines, and they then settled for participating in championships in America, Europe, or Asia.
However, we are now witnessing a return of these countries to the events they had abandoned, which has led to a certain loss of ground for Africa. For example, during the last World Championships, we did not win medals in the 1500 meters or 5000 meters, which is quite surprising for African athletes. We also lost some world records in these distances, particularly indoors, which previously belonged to us.
This can partly be explained by the widening number of participants and countries engaged in these events. What is encouraging is to see that more and more African countries are succeeding in qualifying athletes. At the last World Championships in Budapest, we had more athletes and more African countries qualified than ever before.
The qualification system is complex, but overall, African athletics is doing well. We are beginning to make a mark in events where we were previously absent. Today, we have one of the best sprinters in the world, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, and we are finalists in almost all sprint events, which was not the case before. Additionally, we have a world champion in the triple jump, a result that many would have deemed impossible for an African just ten years ago.
There have been notable appearances in events such as the sprint with the Botswanan Letsile TEBOGO, the Burkinabe Hugues Fabrice ZANGO in the Triple Jump, the Nigerian TOBI AMUSAN in the 100m Hurdles…. How do you justify these results?
For a long time, it was believed that sprint events were reserved for Americans because they had the technology, the technique, and the means to prepare effectively. However, more and more federations around the world have understood that we can prepare for these events using different systems than those of the Americans.
This is what is happening today in Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, where training centers are contributing to improving sprint results on the continent. Even in Kenya, sprinters have realized that they are not confined to specializing in middle-distance events; they now have some of the best sprinters in the world.
This awareness has led Africans to start working in events that they previously considered complicated. Why this change in mindset? Firstly, we have trained coaches who are confident and possess knowledge comparable to that of American coaches, which is significant. The importance of coaching education cannot be underestimated.
We have the potential, as it is quite simple. If you look at the population that succeeds in sprinting in the United States, it is predominantly of African descent. Therefore, with around 30 million African Americans in the U.S., there are over a billion Africans on the continent. It is only natural that the potential seen in the U.S. also exists in Africa.
This awareness means that today we are genuine competitors in sprint events. You may have noticed that at the last Olympic Games, we had many African finalists in sprint events, and of course, several medalists as well.
As Director of Development, what is the situation of training in Africa, especially in relation to the numerous WA reforms on education and certification systems?
I believe that the best way for Africa to continue its progress is to strengthen its development and promotion programs. Africa had a fundamental plan based on training coaches and athletes. At one point, Africa succeeded in establishing five athlete preparation centers made available to African federations that lacked the means to train athletes on their own soil.
Some African countries have understood that the best way to prepare athletes is to place them in optimal conditions, meaning in specialized centers. More and more African countries are opening centers and investing resources. Recently, Ethiopia also established its own center, and there are centers in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, as well as in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and so on.
The creation of these centers is the only solution for Africans. In the world, there are two systems that produce performance: the American system with its universities, which only works in the United States, and the European system with powerful clubs that are subsidized or sponsored, having the technical and human resources to train champions at a high level. This is not the case in Africa. No African university can claim to have the means to train champions of very high caliber, and no African club has the resources necessary to achieve this, due to various factors including a lack of funding and sponsorship in athletics. of very high caliber, and no African club has the resources necessary to achieve this, due to various factors including a lack of funding and sponsorship in athletics. The only solution left for federations is to open preparation centers where athletes can, after careful talent scouting, join talented and promising young individuals. Performance arises from human potential being connected with science. This science is embodied by the coach. The junction between these two components—potential and science—is what generates performance. Unfortunately, this is only possible in Africa today within preparation centers.
What is the future of African athletics in the upcoming international competitions? Can Africa challenge the world's greats in competitions like pole vault, shot put, etc.?
The future of African athletics looks bright. I see significant progress, with more and more African countries getting involved. However, among the 54 countries in the African Confederation, not all are able to qualify for the World Championships or the Olympics. The qualification system is problematic, as many countries lack resources or do not invest enough in athletics.
There are dominant sports that absorb almost all sports budgets, leaving little or no funding for athletics federations. However, some countries have understood the importance of engaging in a development dynamic by adopting ten-year action plans. We assist them in this process by organizing seminars in Dakar, Nairobi, and elsewhere to unify and adapt this vision to each country.
The U18 and U20 championships demonstrate enormous progress. At the recent U20 World Championships in Peru, African dominance was evident in sprint, jump, and middle-distance events. However, certain disciplines, such as pole vaulting, present particular challenges. In Europe, it is easy to transport equipment, while in Africa, the transport of poles is complicated due to regulations and airline limitations.
It is essential for governing bodies to revise these rules so that poles become common equipment, like javelins or weights, provided to athletes by organizers. However, high-level poles are increasingly specific and tailored to each athlete, complicating their availability.
Despite these challenges, African throwers are making their mark. We have had world champions in javelin, and other athletes are emerging in throwing events like shot put, discus, and hammer. Africa is progressing, and it is not unlikely that one day we will see world champions in these events.
In summary, even though obstacles remain, African athletics is evolving and holds enormous potential for the future.
INFOS : caaweb.org