Dakar-Gorée Swim
{{Short description|Swimming event}}
The Dakar-Gorée Swim also known as the Dakar-Gorée Crossing (French: Traversée Dakar-Gorée) is an annual open water swimming race event between the beach of Dakar and Gorée island, first held in 1985.{{Cite web|last=Haque|first=Nicolas|title=Hundreds swim to former Senegal slave island in annual race|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/2018/10/01/hundreds-swim-to-former-senegal-slave-island-in-annual-race/|access-date=2020-11-05|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}} The competition is split into a 4500 m race for amateurs and a 5200 m course.{{Cite web|last3=|first3=|last4=|last5=|first5=|date=26 September 2019|title=La traversée Dakar-Gorée : 600 nageurs pour la 32è édition|url=https://www.africatopsports.com/2019/09/26/la-traversee-dakar-goree-600-nageurs-pour-la-32e-edition/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828202345/https://www.africatopsports.com/2019/09/26/la-traversee-dakar-goree-600-nageurs-pour-la-32e-edition/ |archive-date=2020-08-28 |access-date=2020-11-05|website=Africa Top Sports|language=fr-FR}} The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 epidemic.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-24|title=Officiel - La Traversée Dakar-Gorée annulée ! - Natation|url=https://wiwsport.com/2020/10/24/officiel-la-traversee-dakar-goree-annulee/|access-date=2020-11-05|website=wiwsport|language=fr-FR}} This sporting event is very popular in Senegal and is unique in West Africa.
History
The Dakar-Gorée crossing was launched in 1985 as a homage to the victims of slavery who displayed resilience by attempting to swim, often in chains, towards freedom. Gorée Island is a place symbolic of the memory of the slave trade in Africa, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.https://africaaquatics.org/event-details/35th-dakar-gor-e-crossing
The idea for the crossing came from a group of young swimmers, mostly from Gorée, who wanted to celebrate Saint Charles, patron saint of Gorée, by challenging each other to a race between Dakar and Gorée Island. Among them, Samba Ndoye, Ibra Kare, Hachim Badji, Mbaye Ndiaye, Mohamed Diop, and Karim Thioune would go on to become important figures in Senegalese sport. The first edition of the swim took place on October 15, 1985, during the International Youth Year. Around thirty participants set off from the harbor of the Autonomous Port of Dakar for this inaugural edition, covering a distance of 3500 m.{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2014 |title=Meredith Staken et Malick Fall remportent la traversée Dakar- Gorée |url=https://www.seneweb.com/news/Sport/meredith-staken-et-malick-fall-remportent-la-traversee-dakar-goree_n_136392.html |website=Seneweb}}
Since 2001, the Senegalese Swimming and Lifesaving Federation decided to adhere to the standards of the International Swimming Federation (FINA), increasing the distance of the Dakar-Gorée crossing to 5000 m, starting from the Voile d'Or beach in Dakar.
In 2004, the competition saw over 600 participants, both men and women, Senegalese and foreigners.
It was in 2008 that the Senegalese Swimming and Lifesaving Federation decided to organize two starts: race A (7800 m), starting from Thiaroye, and race B (4500 m) with the starting point at the Voile d'Or beach. The 2008 innovation has been maintained since then, but both races now start from the same location (Voile d'Or), with a change in distance for race A, which now covers 5200 m.
In 2012, the 4500 m race for amateurs saw the participation of 410 individuals, while the race for experienced swimmers, licensed club members, covering 7800 m, was contested by 66 individuals, according to the organizers.{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2012 |title=Traversée à la nage entre Dakar et l’île de Gorée: une 25e édition populaire |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/depeches/47848/politique/traversee-a-la-nage-entre-dakar-et-lile-de-goree-une-25e-edition-populaire/ |website=Jeune Afrique}}
It has been a recurring event throughout its history, except in 2020 and 2021 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Description
As of 2023, two race categories are held during the event: Race A, which spans 5,200 meters and is attended by professional swimmers starting from Voile d'Or; and Race B, designed for amateurs, which in 2023 saw participation from around 400 swimmers.{{Cite web |last=Fisayo-Bambi |first=Jerry |date=September 25, 2023 |title=Senegal: Hundreds compete in Dakar to Gorée Island swimming race |url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/09/25/hundreds-compete-in-senegal-sea-swimming-race// |website=Africa News}}
Winners
= Men's competition =
= Women's competition =
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! scope="col" |Date ! scope="col" |Swimmer ! scope="col" |Club |
| 1986
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Khoudia Kamara | rowspan="5" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg US Gorée |
| 1987
| rowspan="4" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Marième Soda Camara |
| 1988 |
| 1989 |
| 1993 |
| 1994
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Alexandra Roucher | rowspan="4" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg CN Dakar |
| 1995
| rowspan="3" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Zeïna Saheli |
| 1996 |
| 1997 |
| 1998
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Marième Soda Camara |
| 1999
| rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Zeïna Saheli | rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg CN Dakar |
| 2000 |
| 2001
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Maty Beye |
| 2002
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Zeïna Saheli | rowspan="3" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg CN Dakar |
| 2003
| rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Jessica Sylla |
| 2004 |
| 2005 |
| 2006 |
| 2007 |
| 2008 |
| 2009
| rowspan="4" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Yaye Diadou Diagne | rowspan="4" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Olympique de Ngor |
| 2010 |
| 2011 |
| 2012 |
| 2013
| rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg Meredith Anne Staken | rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg CNDG |
| 2014 |
| 2015 |
| 2016
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svgFile:Flag_of_France.svg Jeanne Boutbien |
| 2017
| rowspan="3" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Ndèye Tabara Diagne |
| 2018
| rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg AOC |
| 2019 |
| 2020
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 |
| 2022
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Mariama Dramé | rowspan="2" |File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg CNRAM |
| 2023
|File:Flag_of_Senegal.svg Aïssatou Ndiaye |
