African Youth Olympic Games Qualifier underway in Ivory Coast

With under a year to go until the2014 Youth Olympic games begin in the Chinese city of Nanjing, the YOG African Qualifying event will be the first opportunity for some of the best pentathletes on the continent to qualify for the big event next summer. Abidjan hosts the event with all the facilities within 50m walking distance from each other at the Cocodu University. 

This African championship is the most important competition of the year for any aspiring Olympian. Both men and women will be taking part and all eyes will be on the experienced Egyptian pentathletes who have the know-how to really come good in Ivory Coast. 

The African confederation of modern pentathlon has taken great steps to introduce the sport on the continent with its President Sameh Gemeh showing the way and it was his vision that helped Abidjan become the host of this prestigious event. The organizers of the competition worked tirelessly these past few weeks, and with the help of Olympian Raouf Hossam of Egypt, they have managed to stage something unique.  Under the supervision of UIPM Technical Delegate Pedro Petruschinski and International Judge Ali Assem, the athletes have the best platform with which to perform at the highest level.

"I would like to thank the Ivorian Federation of modern pentathlon for hosting this event and for the hospitality, and I chose this country because of its passion and willingness to host. This also gives an opportunity to brand new country to experience this type of competition. It also gives the opportunity to a whole new generation to get a taste of a top level Modern Pentathlon. The seminar was a great learning experience, educating and getting all judges up to speed with all the latest rules. I wish everyone involved the very best of luck here in Abidjan", said Sameh Gemeh. 

This is only the second time in history that a competition of this stature has taken place away from Egypt, and in both senior and youth African qualification, Karina Gerber of South African remains the only non-Egyptian to qualify, having gone on to compete at the Sydney 2000 Games. In last Youth African qualification,  it was two Egyptians who succeeded in qualifying for the Singapore 2010 YOGs as Jihan Elmidany and Eslam hamed were triumphant.

There are some fantastic stories in Abidjan, none more so than that of Prof. Tony Silvestre, a 26 years old coach/teacher from Burkina Faso, who travelled all night by car to reach the Ivorian capital to compete.

He told us, "it has been a long trip but it valued the long hours in my small car. I hope getting some good experience here both in competition and during the judges’ course. Hopefully there will be more chances to see our athletes competing but we need more training and equipment. I want to thank UIPM and Pedro for his valuable time. Africa needs it."

Words by Ahmed Salama