Ivorian sprinter Murielle Ahoure chases history

The Ivory Coast's Murielle Ahoure made history on Monday in becoming the first female African sprinter to win a medal in the history of the World Athletics Championships in the 100 meters.

The 25-year-old is keen to wire another chapter of history by becoming the first African woman to win a medal in the 200m.

She is the daughter of General Mathias Doue a former chief of staff of the Ivorian army until he was sacked in 2004 by ex-president Laurent Gbagbo
Those heats begin Thursday with the final on Friday.

Ahoure, who reached both the 100m and 200m finals at last year's Olympics, showed in relegating defending world champion Carmelita Jeter into third in the 100m that she has the mental strength to cope with the major finals.

Ahoure has remained very much an Ivorian despite a bohemian lifestyle from an early age which saw her sent to France aged three and then on to the United States where she was educated.

Indeed one of her ambitions is to be a role model to other African athletes and stop them from moving abroad and accepting payment to change nationality and run for other countries.

“This medal was for the Ivory Coast, no other country,'' said Ahoure, who has five siblings.

“I think it is sad so many African athletes feel it is necessary to move abroad and run for other countries. At the same time I understand as they have to make a living and an athlete's life is a precarious one, one lives with the ever present fear of injury which can end your career.''

While Ahoure is grateful to the United States for having provided her with an education and with her future career assured as a lawyer, she said she wants her exploits on the track to persuade other Africans to follow her example.--AFP


(thestandard.com)