Reporting
African Games: Céline-Josée Bakayoko, the Ivorian successfully converted from badminton to wrestling
Céline-Josée Bakayoko, 32, won Côte d'Ivoire's first medal at the 2023 African Games, on March 10, 2024 in Accra, with silver during the under 53kg freestyle wrestling tournament.
A new performance for the double African vice-champion in the category who, just a few years ago, was playing at the high continental level in… badminton.
Story of a successful reconversion.
Nogona wrestler Céline-Josée Bakayoko, on March 10, 2024 in Accra, posing with the Director General of Sports of Côte d'Ivoire, Bertin Koffi.
© David Kalfa/RFI
By: David Kalfa Follow
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From our special correspondent in Accra,
Destiny sometimes has funny surprises in store.
Nogona wrestler Céline-Josée Bakayoko, 32, who won Ivory Coast's first medal at the
2023 African Games
, can attest to this.
This March 10, 2024, at the Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra, she won silver in the under 53 kg category, against the Nigerian Christianah Ogunsanya, in a room located right next to that of the badminton tournament.
A sport that she practiced at the continental level from 23 to 27 years old.
The one who is double vice-champion of Africa (2022, 2023) explains, hilarious: “
My friends from several nations came to see me: Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Burkina, Benin… They are all came to see me shouting:
“
Céline, Céline, but you are here! You left badminton for wrestling
!
”
“
When I was doing badminton smashes, I broke my racket
”
A rare reconversion to a completely different discipline that the young woman recounts: “
I discovered wrestling in 2017, after the Francophonie Games
[in Abidjan, Editor’s note]
, thanks to a coach who had an omnisports club where there were wrestling, badminton and volleyball.
He was the one who told me to come try wrestling because when I did smashes, I broke my racket.
He told me I had a lot of strength and power.
»
At the national freestyle wrestling and African wrestling championships, Céline-Josée Bakayoko immediately excelled with titles, in 2017 and 2018. At the African Games in Rabat, in 2019, she had new confirmation of her dispositions for this other Olympic sport, even if she doesn't get a podium in Morocco.
After a break imposed by an injury and Covid, Céline-Josée Bakayoko then continues the podiums at the continental level and participations in the Worlds.
“
If I had known that wrestling existed in this way in Ivory Coast, I would never have played badminton, even if it is a noble and trying sport
,” she says.
When you are in a discipline where you are not valued, it is better to go elsewhere, where you are given the opportunity to shine.
I think I made the right choice.
I have absolutely no regrets
.”
“
If I have to leave wrestling for another discipline, it will be for MMA
”
A successful transition that she herself cannot explain.
“
It’s rare, because badminton is a sport of finesse and movement.
It’s true that it’s a fast game but it’s difficult to compare with a combat sport… I don’t understand myself,
she laughs
.
But I tell myself that with work, you can get there
.”
And Céline-Josée Bakayoko, who is now aiming for a place at the Paris Games through the Olympic qualifying tournament in Alexandria (March 22-24), may not have finished surprising.
“
I did football, athletics, handball, badminton, a little sambo
[a Russian martial art, Editor’s note]
, I tried a little judo.
But I think that, if I have to leave wrestling for another discipline, it will be either for MMA or one of its equivalents
,” she concludes, still further away from the shuttlecocks.
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African Games 2023
African Games 2019
Badminton
Sports
Ivory Coast
Ghana