6 years ago, Djénébou Danté won the gold medal at the Jeux de la Francophonie in Abidjan. On July 26 in Abidjan, the athlete born on August 7, 1989 in Bamako became the first Malian to win an athletics event at this competition. She still holds the national 400-meter record and is a sporting icon who now divides her time between her profession and humanitarian work to help the next generation.
Djénébou Danté continues to train at her club in Reims. There, after completing a university degree, she trains young and old alike in physical activity and sport. For her, this has become a professional activity. At the same time, she was toying with the idea of taking part in the Olympic Games for one last dance.
Her journey has not been without its difficulties, with trips to finance, injuries to deal with, nutrition to discipline, demanding training to keep up with, but all in the spirit of friendship that prevails between athletes and always remaining positive.
Strength, determination and sharing are the spearheads of the Malian sprinter, who was initially drawn to basketball before taking up athletics.
In 2015, she left Mali for Senegal with the ambition of becoming one of the best athletes on the African continent.
2017 consecration in Abidjan for Djénébou DantéA dream that led her to be flag bearer at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and then at the Jeux de la Francophonie in 2017.
Indeed, after Rio, Djénébou Danté is in Abidjan this July 26, 2017 for the 400m final of the Francophonie Games.The sprinter won her semi-final the day before. The weather is fine. Little wind. Main opponent Natassha McDonald, Canadian champion.
On the track, a fast start for Djénébou.She held on until the last few meters to come out on top after 52s23 and make her Mali proud with the gold medal, the flag and the anthem on the podium.”Pride for my country, Mali.These are moments I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” confided the champion, who had previously improved her national record by finishing 3rd in the 400 metres at the French championships with a time of 52s16.
Djénébou Danté on the podium at the Jeux de la Francophonie 2017
Social work and retraining
That year, Djénébou Danté was named best sportswoman in her country. “Athletics has given me an enormous amount. My clubs supported me, in Bamako and Reims. Doing the lap, the 400m, it’s sprinting, hard when the lactic acid rises in the legs. I like to say ‘moving is living’.”
Alongside her professional activities, Djénébou Danté is also involved in social work. She created the association for sustainable development in Mali (4D MALI), which she chairs. “Firstly, for Mali, because,” she says, “Mali needs development, in the sense of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Inclusive sustainable development, leaving no one by the wayside, in its main dimensions: economic, social and environmental.We are contributing to this, along with UN partner institutions such as UNICEF, UNESCO and UNDP”.
For Djénébou Danté, sport must be a vehicle for development.In addition to these activities, she organizes athletics events mainly for girls of all ages. “I do this every year in Bamako, distributing equipment, clothes and shoes.And on this occasion, I talk about nutrition, hygiene, self-confidence and self-esteem. “The next event is scheduled for late 2023.
In addition, under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee, Djénébou Danté works for eight African countries, helping their athletes in all disciplines to progress.
