Ibou Faye (Senegal) 400m hurdles
First name Ibou Name Faye Birthdate 1969 Citizenship Senegalese Place of residence Paris, France Club Amiens UC Coach Fernand Urtebise Height 1,85m Weight 75kg Event 400m hurdles Best time 48"30 Best rankings 1st of All African Games in Harare (1995) and Johannesbourg (1999), African champion in Yaounde (1996) Semi-finalist in Atlanta Olympics (4x400m 4th)	Unplugged Family status Single Occupation Full time athlete Languages spoken French, Wolof, Mandingue, Diola, Peul, English What would you do if you weren't an athlete Educator What will you do after your career? Business How do you see yourself in ten years of time ? Not so different from now. With good company. What do you think you are gifted for, outside athletics ? I can do everything. What are your hobbies and other centres of interest ? Art, animals, reading I like music I don't like hypocrisy Qualities Flaws Too distrustful You can't live without meeting people Do you use internet ? Yes, but not regularly Which sites do you most often visit ? Sites about sports, music and news.
DISCUSSION I- Your beginnings When did you start athletics and how did you choose 400m hurdles ? I started as an under-17, before I was exempted from doing sports. I was rather playing football (soccer) and I could have become a good player, but my ankles were too fragile. Besides, in one school competition, the football team failed to qualify for the next round and the teachers told us we might be able to represent our school by trying athletics. Thus I qualified on 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m without any training. At the national level I won 400m, 800m and 1500m. I was noticed by the technical direction that was surprised by the fact I wasn't registered in a club. After they had to convince my father to let me run (he didn't know I had started training as I was exempted). In football,when we got a cup, we just had one cup for the whole team, wheareas in athletics I got three or four just for myself. And I wasn't feeling like I was making a great effort. I was a specialist in 800m (1'48-1'49), but there was too much competition from Senegalese living in Europe to get a selection on this event. So I decided to take to 400m hurdles to be able to get selections in another event than 4x400m. How did you progress ? I did 52" for my first race in 1992 and the same year I lowered my time to 50"85. In 1992-1993 I ran more flat (400m) than hurdles as my coach was a middle-distance specialist. In 1994 I was third in the 'Francophone' Games with a time of 50"22 and I got a grant to help me to train. Are other members of your family involved in athletics ? If so, were you the one to follow or did you start first? My sister started athletics to do like me. She is an U-17 and has run 25"08 on 200m. II- Place of birth, place of residence How did you arrive in France ? After the 1994 'Francophone' Games (Evry, France), I got a grant from CONFEJES (the organisation gathering the French-speaking countries' Ministers of Sports) to train in the French national institute for sport and physical education (INSEP). What do you like the most in this country ? - There is an extraordinary cultural melting-pot and the country remains one the most respectful of human rights despite the problems of immigration and undocumented migrants. What don't you like in the country ? - In France there's too much individualism and and hypocrisy, I prefer life in community. Do you often go back to Senegal ? Three times a year at least. Which is your status in Senegal ? Do people recognize you in the streets, do they solicit you much or do you live in peace? Wherever I go people recognize me, and stop me to chat. It can be time-consuming. Where will you live once your career is over ? Somewhere where I'll be feeling good. Do you regularly follow the news from your country ? Yes, sometimes I read the newspapers on the internet but I get news mostly from friends. What do you think of Senegalese athletics ? One needs to think about the youth. Quality is there, but there's a need to invest so that they can improve. III- Travelling An athlete has to travel a lot. Do you like it or do you find it tiresome ? Short trips are OK , but I don't like too long ones. Travelling is really interesting because you can open yourself to new ideas, and no longer rely only on prejudices ("people told me...", "over there it is like this..."). One can discover other realities in concrete terms. A young person who travels has sometimes more experience than a middle-aged one who has never been out of the country. Do you have time to visit the places where you compete? There are places we can visit, but sometimes we don't stay long enough. Which place did you like the most ? Australia, we went there to train and for a meet in Canberra in 1999. IV- Your feelings about athletics What do you think of the circle of high-level athletics and the evolution of the sport ? There's too much pressure from the sponsors and media on the evolution of the rules. Who are your best friends ind athletics ? My training mates ; the Burundian Hilaire Ntirampeba, Wilfried Dorombo from Central African Republic and all African athletes in general. Do you regularly follow the sports news ? If so, which are your sources of information (newspapers, magazines, internet) ? From time to time, not everyday. I read the newspaper 'L'Equipe', Internet websites such as the IAAF's or FFA's (French federation). V- Money Is it easy with your level (12th in the world in 1999, 21st in 2000), to make a living from athletics ? No Who's your manager ? Esther Kolmer Do you have sponsors ? Nike What do you do with your money ? It goes in daily expenses. VI- Training Who's already coached you? Defaye Niang Who's your current coach ? How did you meet him ? Fernand Urtebise. He is a coach at the INSEP and had already followed many Senegalese among whom Amadou Dia Bâ (400h silver medalist in 1988 in Seoul). How is your relationship coach-athlete ? Is he present during the sessions or does he send you plans by fax ? He is always present and is in charge of a group of 15 or so athletes including Stéphane Diagana. According to seasons we train in common (in winter especially) or have more personalised sessions. Can you describe your training ? We train twice a day but Wednesday and Saturday (once) and rest on Sunday. Weights in the morning, runnning or hills in the afternoon. Technique at the beginning of the session, and then speed series. Do you often go to training camp ? Where ? Yes, to places with a warm weather. We used to go to Lanzarote (Canary Islands). Now we try to change (West Indies, USA, Australia, South Africa) and in the south of France before the French championships. VII- Your career What is your best memory of your career ? Atlanta, it was my first Games, I ran less than 49", and the atmosphere was really good. The 1995 All-African Games also, because I wasn't favourite, I had just recovered from an injury. Many didn't believe in me, so I was pleased with victory especially as lowered my best by more than a second. During the anthem and at the time I went back to Senegal I felt I had given some pleasure to many people. And the worst ? Gothenburg world championships. I was in lane eight. There was something like an echo, I thought the starter had called us back and stopped. After I could never catch my opponents. Do you have a favourite meeting ?No Have you often been injured ? All the time. What did your best ranking bring you ? A decoration. What do you think of your career up to now ? Are you happy or if not why ? I gave the best of myself. I you could go back in the past and start again, would you change something ? Maybe I would have taken to hurdles a bit earlier. At which point of your career are you ? Until when do you expect to run ? At the moment I get pleasure from what I'm doing and I will stop when I no longer get fun out of it. I'll see season by season. What are your goals for 2001 ? The world championships final.