Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Romaric Déguénon
Published on 2024-03-20 13:26:59
Bronze medalist in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, Noélie Yarigo returned to Benin on Tuesday evening. The athlete was greeted with triumph by her fans and the government.
Noélie Yarigo will undoubtedly never forget the night of Tuesday, March 19, 2024. A bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, the athlete returned to Benin last night. And the young lady was greeted like a queen upon her descent from the plane.
With her precious metal around her neck, the Gazelle of Pendjari was welcomed by hundreds of fans who came to meet her. The government was also present, with the sports minister pulling out all the stops for this worthy ambassador of Benin. A special ceremony was organized for the sprinter, with Minister Benoît Dato presenting her with a bouquet of flowers.
A symbolic gesture to welcome the one who raised the Beninese flag in the Scottish sky. Then it was off to the Place de l’Amazone where Noélie Yarigo received a check for 15 million CFA francs from a government representative.
Pleasantly surprised by such a reception, the athlete expressed her gratitude. In words relayed by Megasports, the young lady shared her feelings, testifying to her determination and commitment to her country.
“It’s amazing, I really wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome. I am truly touched and it motivates me even more to work for even greater victories. I am really motivated and this medal is a barrier that I have managed to overcome and now I have no more barriers, nothing will stop me and I will give my all whenever I have the chance to represent my country. I would like to thank my federation, the Olympic committee, my coach who works behind the scenes to keep me in shape every time to represent my country, and also all the Beninese public who support me even when I was at rock bottom, I thank them and I will never disappoint you,” she declared.
Sincere, Noélie Yarigo paid tribute to those who supported her in the shadows, emphasizing the essential role of her coach and all those who believed in her. She also shared a touching anecdote about the decisive moment that inspired her to surpass herself in the final:
“When I qualified for the final, my coach brought me a bouquet of flowers. And the next day, on the day of my final, before I took the shuttle to the hotel, he came to see me at my hotel and said, Noélie: I have the opportunity to offer you another bouquet of flowers. But you also have the opportunity to push yourself in this final to be able to offer yourself a bouquet of flowers on a golden platter. It’s up to you to choose. When he said that to me, it clicked in my head. When I started, that phrase kept coming back to me. I told myself, I am here for my country. I fought for this final. Now, I have to go get the medal. It was now or never. I really pushed myself to get this historic medal. And it is with a lot of pride that I wear it today and I hope it will not be the last.”
These words reflect the determination and strength of character of Noélie Yarigo, as well as her commitment to sports excellence and the pride of representing her country on the international stage. Her victory will be engraved in the history of Beninese sports, and her inspiring testimony will continue to motivate future generations of athletes.
Read the original article(French) on Benin Web TV
