Sounkamba Sylla
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | French |
| Born | 9 July 1998 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Sprint |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 400m: 51.80s (Forbach, 2024) |
Sounkamba Sylla (born 9 July 1998) is a French sprinter.[1]
Career
[edit]She was selected as a travelling reserve for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[2]
She ran for France in the women's 4x400m relay team at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.[3][4]
She was a member of the French women's 4x400m relay team at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.[5]
She ran as part of the French team at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.[6] She ran in the women's 4x400m relay at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome in June 2024.[7] Later that month, she finished fourth in the 400 metres at the French Athletics Championships in Angers.[8]
She was selected for France’s 400m women’s and mixed relay teams at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She expressed disappointment on social media that she would be unable to attend the opening ceremony due to her desire to wear a hijab, included on a list of items France’s minister for sport had prohibited in September 2023, saying that athletes representing France would be barred from displaying religious symbols. However, a compromise was reported, shortly before the ceremony, that would allow Sylla to wear a French Olympic cap on her head.[9][10][11] She ran as part of the French women's 4x400 metres relay team which qualified for the final.[12][13]
Personal life
[edit]She is from Laval, Mayenne. She is Muslim.[14][15]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sounkamba Sylla". World Athletics. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Olympic Games. Sounkamba Sylla: "An extraordinary human and sporting experience"". Laval.maville. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "World Athletics Championships, Eugene 2022". World Athletics. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Athlétisme. Championnats du monde : Sounkamba Sylla : C'est un rêve de fou ce qui m'arrive". Ouest France. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023". World Athletics. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Women 4x400m Results - World Athletics Relays Championships 2024". Watch Athletics. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ "European Athletics Championships". World Athletics. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ "French Championships". World Athletics. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Kassam, Ashifa (25 July 2024). "French athlete may swap hijab for a cap to avoid Olympic opening ceremony ban". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla says she's barred from the Olympic opening ceremony due to her hijab". apnews. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Amanpour, Christiane (25 July 2024). "French sprinter to take part in Opening Ceremony despite not being allowed to wear a headscarf". cnn. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Women's 4x400m relay Olympic Games 2024". World Athletics. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Athletics 2024 Olympics: Martinique's Alexe Déau and her teammates in the women's 4x400m relay qualify for the final". lalere.francetvinfo. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Sounkamba Sylla : " Un moment fort "". Ouest-France. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Robine, Marcellin (July 24, 2024). "Paris 2024 Olympics: Laval athlete Sounkamba Sylla will be able to participate in the opening ceremony, with a cap". francebleu. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
