A semi-finalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the first Senegalese athlete to break the 45-second barrier in the 400 metres (44.94 seconds), Cheikh Tidiane Diouf came to add his signature to the Wall of Olympians in Dakar on 21 October 2026.
During a visit to the headquarters of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC), the national record-holder looks back on this historic race, which marked a turning point in his career.
What has your career path been like?
I started competing in athletics in 2018. I won a gold medal at the Francophonie Games in the Congo in 2023, and a bronze medal at the African Games in Accra in 2020 and 2024. That same year, I won the 400m at the African Athletics Championships. That was in Douala, Cameroon. Finally, I competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and reached the semi-finals, whilst breaking Senegal’s 56-year-old record.
Can you tell us a bit more about your experience at Paris 2024 Olympic Games ?
My experience at Paris 2024 was absolutely brilliant. Not just the organisation and everything else, but especially the opening ceremony. It was extraordinary. And in the Olympic Village, living alongside some of the world’s greatest athletes – those were truly extraordinary moments for me.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/an-interview-with-cheikh-tidiane-diouf-senegal-s-400m-record-holder
