African Games 2023
Swimming: bronze for Senegalese Oumy Diop at the African Games while waiting for better
Oumy Diop won the first medal of his career at the African Games, with bronze in the 50 meter butterfly.
A new podium in Accra, the city where the Senegalese was crowned African champion in 2021 and where she is trying to get closer to her dream: competing in the Olympic Games.
Encounter.
Senegalese Oumy Diop (right), third in the 50-meter butterfly at the 2023 African Games, taking a photo with South African Caitlin De Lange (left) and Egyptian Farida Osman (center), March 10, 2024 in Accra.
© David Kalfa/RFI
By: David Kalfa Follow
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From our special correspondent in Accra,
Ghana is definitely doing well at Oumy Diop.
This 20-year-old swimmer won bronze in the 50-meter butterfly on March 10, 2024 at the
African Games
, a race won by the experienced Egyptian Farida Osman.
And it is in this same country that the Senegalese launched her career.
“
I had my first international competition under the colors of Senegal, in Accra, in 2021
,” she says.
And it was there that I won my African champion title.
Coming back here was special for me and I was so excited!
I am therefore particularly happy to leave with this new medal
.”
Oumy Diop also hopes to take advantage of these African Games to achieve one of the minimum qualifying times for the Olympics.
But she displays measured confidence about her chances of going to Paris via Accra.
“
In terms of preparation, it was a little complicated this last month because I had three competitions in a row: the world championships, the university ones and these African Games
,” she explains.
I still have the qualification in the back of my mind.
That’s why I get up at 5 a.m. every day
.”
Senegalese Oumy Diop (right), third in the 50-meter butterfly at the 2023 African Games, March 10, 2024 in Accra.
© David Kalfa/RFI
In the United States, to progress
In particular, he will have the African Championships (May 1 to 5 in Luanda) to try to validate his ticket for the Games.
“
Not qualifying would be a big blow
,” she emphasizes.
Especially since this event takes place in France, his country of birth.
“
To compete in the Olympics would be to realize the dream of this little girl that I was who started swimming because she was very attracted to water
,” says Oumy Diop.
“It would be an accomplishment and it would make my family proud, my brothers, who support me every day, but also my coaches and my FIU team
.”
FIU, for Florida International University.
A campus near Miami where the person concerned settled in 2022, leaving her family and the city of Grenoble (southeast of France) far behind her.
“
I feel that I have progressed there
[in the United States, Editor’s note], says the woman who is studying natural and applied sciences there.
We have a lot of infrastructure and equipment that allows us to monitor our progress.
It’s going to be a little complicated today to show it at the African Games but I know that during the next competitions, it will be seen more
.”
Between competitions and exams for his bachelor's degree, Oumy Diop is now struggling to find time to return to Senegal.
“
I hope to be able to see my grandmother again right after the Olympic Games
,” she emphasizes.
I really like Senegal.
One of its languages, it’s the first language I learned, it’s the first nationality I had…
”.
And for which she has already competed in three long course World Championships in a row.
Waiting for better.
00:54
Mohamed Diop, Secretary General of the African Swimming Confederation, on the poor maintenance of aquatic equipment on the continent
Victor Cariou
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