Seven athletes from the African Athletics Development Centre (AADC), led by Olympic medallist El Hadji Amadou Dia Bâ, participated in the recent Tokyo 2025 World Championships.
These athletes, from six African countries, worked hard to achieve a significant level of performance thanks to good preparation conditions and appropriate technical and administrative support, which enabled them to perform well in Tokyo. The AADC Centre is a structure of the Confederation of African Athletics based in Dakar. It aims to promote and develop athletics in Africa through the training of managers and athletes.
Interview with Calixte AHOLU, the Technical Director of AADC Dakar.
The 2025 season has just ended with the Tokyo World Championships. What is your assessment of the participation of the AADC athletes in this competition?
The results of the AADC Dakar athletes who participated in Tokyo 2025 are very positive and even promising for the future. We could note Saly Sarr's (SEN) sixth place in the triple jump final with a personal best of 14.55m.
In 110m hurdles, Louis François Mendy (SEN) qualified for the semifinals and was unable to advance to the final. Saguirou BADAMASSI (NIG) stopped in the qualifying round due to a physical issue. However, before these championships, Badamassi had improved his personal best to 13.34, which became the new national record of Niger.
In 100m, Dylan Sicobo (SEY) advanced through the qualifying round and ran in the second round; And in the women's race, the adventure ended in the qualifying phase for Fayza Issaka Abdoukerim (TOG) and Herverge Etame KOLE (CMR). In the women's 400m, young Esther Mingueyam Mayadjim (Chad), who is none other than the African school champion in Algeria 2025, achieved her best time of the year. All these athletes demonstrated very hard work and dedication during this 2025 season, which allowed them to qualify for these championships.
How is the next season shaping up and what are the objectives?
The next season has barely begun and is looking good, for the simple reason that the athletes will return and we will continue the work already started. Last season, all of the center's residents broke their personal or national records. This season is very promising.
The objectives are multiple, both individually and collectively. But one thing is certain: the African Championships in Accra, Ghana, where we're aiming for podium finishes in key events, will be a priority.
As the new technical director of AADC, how do you view this direction in your professional career?
Before coming to the Dakar center, I was already the technical director of sports at a university in the United States. It is a continuation of what I was doing before coming to Africa. And it is also a form of skills transfer for African athletes based on what is being done in America. It is a challenge every day, but it is paying off, given the results.
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