Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango leapt into the history books at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Monday night. He produced a fifth-round effort of 17.64m to secure Africa’s first ever gold medal in the event.
The electrical engineering PhD graduate claimed silver at last year’s championships in Oregon and was still lying third heading into his penultimate jump on Monday. But he ensured he’d be topping the podium this time around, overtaking two Cubans - Lázaro Martinez (17.41m) and Cristian Napoles (17.40m) – to climb into top spot.
Zango has been a constant source of national pride for Burkina Faso, claiming the nation’s first ever Olympic medal of any kind when he secured the triple jump bronze in Tokyo two years ago. He also set a new indoor world record earlier that same year.
His task in Budapest was made slightly simpler when Jamaica’s teen sensation Jaydon Hibbert, who has jumped the furthest in the world this year, was ruled out of the competition with injury after the first round.
Speaking after the competition, an elated Zango said: "Look at my big, big, big smiling mouth. It tells you everything. I had so many difficulties and doubts, I have been struggling a lot. I had to travel a very long way to get this gold medal. I am proud to be the man who keeps his word.
"I promised to make history and I did it tonight. That is the first gold medal in men's triple jump, not only for my country but for Africa as well. I cannot imagine the level of celebration in my country when I go back home but I'm going to start the celebrations in Budapest.
"All my family arrived here from to support me. We have some troubles in our country now and it is an incredible mission to bring some positive emotions to them."
Gold for Burkina Faso ??????
— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) August 21, 2023
An incredible achievement by Fabrice Zango who wins the Men's Triple Jump in Budapest!#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/SDLSct550V
Later in the evening Marie-Josee Ta Lou just missed out on a medal in the women’s 100m final. The 34-year-old has had a sensational season, coming into the championships as the third fastest in the world this year. But she could only manage fourth place on Monday, running 10.81 to finish behind American Sha’Carri Richardson who clinched the gold in 10.65, with Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson taking the silver in 10.72 and five-time champion in the event Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce taking the bronze in 10.77.
Earlier in the evening, Ta Lou ran exactly the same time as Jackson (10.79) to share the honours in their semifinal and qualify joint fastest for the final.
Meanwhile, it was a busy night for South African Zeney van der Walt who competed in the 400m hurdles heats just after 7pm and was then back on the track for the semifinals of the 400m just over two hours later.
She secured her place in the 400m semifinals by finishing fifth in her heat and progressing as one of the fastest losers (those missing out on automatic qualification by not finishing in the top four) with a time of 55.21.
Morocco’s eight-time national champion Noura Ennadi also progressed to the 400m hurdles semifinals after also finishing fifth in her heat in the same time of 55.21.
Later on Van der Walt ran 51.54 in the 400m semifinals to finish in eight place, so missing out on Wednesday’s final.
In the men’s 400m semifinals Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel finished sixth in his race in 49.22 while Kenya’s Wiseman Mukhobe was also sixth in his in 49.40 with neither men progressing to Wednesday’s final.
Later in the evening, Senegal’s Louis Francois Mendy false started in the 110m hurdles and was disqualified from the race.