By Zackline Colley
Hopes were high for The Gambia’s athletes as they competed in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but the nation’s representatives fell short of the medal podium despite some promising performances.
Gambian track star Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye, who had recently secured gold medals in both the 100m and 200m races at the All-Africa Games in Ghana, was unable to replicate her success on the Olympic stage. In both the 100m and 200m events, Gina failed to advance to the finals, marking a disappointing end to what had been an otherwise stellar season.
On the men’s side, sprinter Ebrima Camara provided a glimmer of hope when he advanced to Round 1 of the Men’s 100m after dominating his Preliminary Round Heat with a time of 10.29 seconds. However, Camara narrowly missed out on a place in the semifinals, finishing 4th in his heat with a national record time of 10.21 seconds.
The Gambia’s judo representative, Faye Njie, who had previously won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games, was also unable to progress in his event. Competing in his third Olympic appearance, Njie was penalized for non-combativity after receiving two cautions, which ended his hopes of advancing to the next round.
Sanu Jallow represented The Gambia in the 800-meter event. While she broke a national record, her performance did not meet the expectations of fans who were hoping for more substantial results.
Gambian Taekwondo fighter Alasan Ann faced off against Croatian Ivan Sapina in the +80kg Round of Sixteen. Ann, a two-time medallist in the men’s 87 kg event at the World Taekwondo Championships and a gold medallist at the European Taekwondo Championships lost 2-0 in the second round to Sapina, bringing The Gambia’s Olympic campaign to a close.
While the results may not have been what Gambians were hoping for, the athletes have still shown resilience and dedication on the world stage, and their efforts will continue to inspire the nation.
