2023-12-03 16:15:05
The cross : You are today world champion. What does this coronation represent for you and your country?
Hugues Fabrice Zango: Being a world champion in an Olympic sport practiced all over the world is an extraordinary thing, it’s a grace. Olympic sports are very difficult, competitive and regulated, but you also need to be healthy when the time comes. It is true that we work every day to be physically and mentally fit, but ultimately, it is a grace to be ready at the right time. A simple cold or even a simple wind that is too strong at the moment of the jump and which slows down the run-up can be enough to cause failure.
So I realize, every day, the immensity of what I have achieved. It is one of the greatest achievements of my life. It is the crowning achievement of so much effort and the response to so much hope. For my country, Burkina Faso, which understands and has seen my journey to this coronation, it is a great honor.
Based on your progress, was it obvious for you to win this world title?
H. F. Z. : There is never evidence in sport. My evolution, from bronze during the 2019 championships to silver in 2022 – including bronze at the 2021 Olympic Games – allowed me to dream of gold without taboo. I had already jumped 18 meters, held a world record and was ranked second in the world. My goal was to win this title and I managed to put in the means before the big day. Thanks to all this preparation, I was quite confident and that was important for the victory.
You are a practicing Catholic, does this faith support you in your sport?
H. F. Z. : I have always tried to draw inspiration from many saints of the Catholic Church. I therefore very quickly got involved in the Catholic Student Youth (JEC) movement, where I held positions of responsibility which forged my character. The greatest teaching I have received is that God is in me. Indeed, when I face challenges, I tell myself one simple thing after taking a deep breath: “Zango, you won’t make it… Let the Divine in you express itself now! Act without fear, without hesitation, do not tremble. » For me, accepting that God is in me – because he made me in his image, because I received the Holy Spirit at my sacrament of confirmation – fills me with a Herculean strength that is difficult to explain.
And now that you are a victorious athlete, do you still have time for God?
H. F. Z. : My life is fleeting and we must not be puppets, that is to say people who endure everyday life. I want my time to be a testimony. I don’t feel like I’m making time for God since my life is directly a prayer. I also read a lot, and I would like to start studying theology after the 2024 Olympics.
In February 2022, you assured us that your « future will be simply bright”. Do you still have this insurance?
H. F. Z. : (Laugh.) I have lived in peace of heart for several years. I no longer tremble, except from excitement; the fear left me. With this feeling, I can tell you that my future is definitely bright and it’s not over yet!
#Victory #grace