Senegal will be represented by four athletes at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, set to run from September 13 to 21, 2025.
The qualifiers—Louis François Mendy, Mamadou Fall Sarr, Saly Sarr, and Amath Faye—carry the hopes of a nation seeking to reclaim its place among the world’s athletics elite.
Louis François Mendy earned his place by meeting the world minimum in the 110m hurdles. The hurdler, widely regarded as one of Africa’s best in his discipline, has demonstrated consistent progress towards competing at the highest international level.
“Mendy confirms his steady progression towards the very highest level,” the Senegalese Athletics Federation said, highlighting his achievement as a key moment in the country’s athletics calendar.
Mamadou Fall Sarr qualified through his world ranking in the 100m, becoming the first African athlete in his category to reach this status. His personal best of 10.3 seconds, just shy of the 10-second qualification minimum, positions him among the sprinters to watch at the Tokyo championships.
Saly Sarr, representing the triple jump, and Amath Faye, in the long jump, also secured their spots through world rankings, showcasing the breadth of disciplines in which Senegal competes. However, Cheikh Tidiane Diouf, a semi-finalist in the 400m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, will not participate after failing to meet the qualifying criteria.
Senegalese athletics boasts a storied history, with icons such as Amadou Dia Ba, who won the country’s first Olympic silver medal in the 400m hurdles at Seoul 1988, and Amy Mbacké Thiam, the 2001 400m world champion in Edmonton. These achievements helped cement Senegal’s reputation as a respected force in African athletics.
In recent decades, however, performance on the global stage has waned due to structural challenges in athlete preparation. The new generation, represented by the four Tokyo qualifiers, is seen as key to reversing this trend.
“The four athletes embody a renewal of Senegalese athletics and raise high expectations among both the public and sporting authorities,” analysts noted, underlining the significance of their participation in restoring national pride in the sport.
With Tokyo approaching, all eyes will be on Senegal’s representatives as they seek to translate talent and preparation into international success.
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