African Triple Jump Champion Hugues Fabrice Zango Makes History for Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – African triple jump champion and continental record holder Hugues Fabrice Zango made history this year by becoming the first athlete from Burkina Faso to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. In Doha, the 26-year-old added 16 centimetres to his own African record with a stunning 17.66m leap in the sixth round, securing the bronze medal behind Christian Taylor and Will Claye in an outstanding competition.
Zango’s series of jumps included four more efforts exceeding 17 metres: 17.18m, 17.46m, 17.29m, and 17.56m. “First of all, I wanted to get a medal,” the Burkinabe athlete said. “I felt really strong and was able to fight against the big guys. Next time it will be even better.”
The Doha Final
The Doha final confirmed the Qatari capital as a special setting for the triple jump. “It means a lot to finish third behind Christian Taylor and Will Claye and beat Pedro Pablo Pichardo,” Zango added. “They all jumped over 18 metres in their careers. For Burkina Faso, it is really a big thing. Finally, we entered into world athletics, because we have never had a medal on the world level. I am the first, and I hope more medals will follow.”
Before his bronze medal breakthrough in Doha, Zango had taken silver at the 2016 African Championships and gold at the 2017 Francophone Games. He broke through the 17-metre barrier in 2018 and set the African indoor record of 17.58m in Paris earlier this year, adding 35 centimetres to his previous continental mark.
Coaching and Improvement
Zango, who is currently working towards a PhD in electronics, has been coached by retired French triple jumper Teddy Tamgho since 2018. “Tamgho has improved many aspects of my technique,” he said. “I have room for improvement, and I hope that my technique will continue to improve.”
With his history-making performance in Doha, Zango has put Burkina Faso firmly on the global athletics map and inspired the next generation of triple jumpers in his country.
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