Interesting Facts About Olympic Nations – Burkina Faso
Did you know…
Aristide Sawadogo plays in the NBA Development League. He was born on December 28, 1981 in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Aristide studied at the Lycee Philipe Zinda Kabore in Burkina Faso. His idol is Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Upper Volta competed in the Summer Olympics in 1972. It became Burkina Faso in 1984 and has since competed under that name in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2008.
The two most popular sports in Burkina Faso – also known simply as “Burkina” – are football and athletics.
The National Olympic Committee was founded in 1965.
The XXI Africa Cup of Nations was held in Ouagadougou in 1998.
Burkina Faso – it is the size of the United Kingdom, New Jersey and Delaware combined – sent 4 athletes to the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain. He competed in track and field (3) and judo (1).
Many sports websites confused the name of Burkina Faso – a former French colony in Africa – with the name of Burundi. For example: the website of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), one of the largest sports organizations in the world.
Burkina Faso won the bronze medal at the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago. Burkina Faso, led by Paul Gorogo, beat Argentina 2-0 to capture the bronze medal. The children received a heroes’ welcome when they returned to Burkina Faso, one of the world’s seven poorest nations Henock Conombo, Abdoul Aziz Nikiema, Wilfried Sanou, Abdoulaye Ouedraogo, Boureima Ouattara, Karim Bamba, Oumarou Ouedraogo, Wally Said Korabou, Paul Gorogo , Abubacar Fofana.
The Burkina Faso Olympic Committee sent six athletes to the Olympic Games in the People’s Republic of China. They were: Elisabeth Nikiema (swimming/ 50m freestyle), Idrissa Sanou (athletics/ 100m), Aissata Soulama (athletics/ 400m hurdles), Julien Ouedraogo (fencing/ individual saber), Hanatou Ouelgo (judo/ 48kg) , Rene Yougbare (aquatics/ 50m freestyle). Ironically, Burkina Faso does not have diplomatic relations with Beijing.
Burkina won two medals at the first Pan African Games in 1965.
This African country finished in tenth place at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. Burkina Faso won the silver medal at the 1999 FIFA U-17 African Championship. The players included Daouda Diakite, Lamine Traore, Jose Yameogo, Aboubacar Sanou, Soumaila Tassambedo, Charles Pafadnam, Patrick Zoundi, Bourema Maiga, Tanguy Barro, Moussa Kabore, Djibril Campaore, Siaka Sanou, Ibrahim Kabore, Issaka Ouedraogo, Ousseni Zongo, Alhassan Gambo, Gastón Rouamba, Jean Kabore.
Like Kenya and Ghana, Upper Volta boycotted the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Games.
Olivier Sanou won the triple jump gold medal at the 2002 African Championships in Tunisia. He was the first athlete from Burkina Faso to win an international gold medal.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gaston Roumba was one of Burkina Faso’s best young players. He once said: “My family lives in Ouagadougou, but I have stayed at the Center for three years, ever since it was established. We have played many matches to get this far. Our biggest success so far was qualifying for the youth competition in France during the World Cup. We won a difficult game against Mali, winning on penalties after a 0-0 draw. The atmosphere in France was amazing, with fans from all over the world. I was so happy to be a footballer. I watched five games, supporting Nigeria. They were unlucky not to get through.”
One of the most notable athletes is Aissata Soulama (athletics). This athlete she finished 11th in the 400m hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She was the flag bearer for her country at the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
Burkina Faso competed in the Jeux de la Francophonie in 1994.
Like Laos and Myanmar, Burkina Faso has never won an Olympic medal.
This African country qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The team finished in 14th place.
