Jessika Gbai

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Jessika Gbai

| full_name = Jessika Lauren Maca Gbai

| image = JESSIKA LAUREN MACA GBAI au Championnats d'Afrique d'athlétisme 2024 12.jpg

| caption =

| nationality = Ivory Coast

| sport = Athletics

| event = Sprint

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|12|29|df=yes}}

| birth_place = DALOA, Côte d'Ivoire

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.67 m

| weight =

| education = Howard University

| pb = 100m: 11.22 (Clermont, 2023)
200m:22.36 (Paris, 2024)

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal |Country |the {{CIV}} }}

}}

Jessika Lauren Maca Gbai (born 29 December 1998) is an Ivorian track and field athlete from the Ivory Coast who competes as a sprinter.{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/cote-divoire/jessika-gbai-14823620 |website=World Athletics|accessdate=24 August 2023|title= Jessika Gbai}} Gbai made her Olympic debut for women’s 200m on 4th August, 2024 at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. And successfully made into the final, finished in 8th{{Cite web |last=Paris 2024 |first= |date=5 August 2024 |title=Olympic Schedule & Results-Athletics - Women's 200m|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/athletics/women-s-200m?day=5-august |access-date=5 August 2024 |website=Paris 2024 Olympics |language=en}} for her Olympic-Final debut as a first-time Olympian.

Early life

Jessika Gbai born in Côte d'Ivoire, moved to Philadelphia (USA) as a child, she holds both citizenships. Was cleared by World Athletics to represent Côte d'Ivoire starting from 1 June 2022. {{Cite web |last=Paris 2024 |first= |date=30 July 2024 |title=Paris 2024 — GBAI Jessika|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/jessika-gbai_1540717|access-date=30 July 2024 |website=Paris 2024 Olympics |language=en}}

She graduated from Howard University in 2022 with degrees in biology and political science.{{cite web|url=https://thedig.howard.edu/all-stories/howard-university-grad-stories-jessica-gbai|website=thedig.Howard.edu|accessdate=23 August 2023|title= Howard University Grad Stories: Jessica Gbai

|first=LaShandra N.|last=Gary|date=May 23, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Sholnn Z. |date=August 1, 2024 |title=From Philly to Paris: Jessika Gbai's Olympic Sprint to Success |url=https://thedig.howard.edu/all-stories/philly-paris-jessika-gbais-olympic-sprint-success |access-date=August 2, 2024}}

Career

Jessika Gbai competed in the 200 metres at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, running 22.82 seconds in the semi-final.{{cite web|url=https://meacsports.com/news/2022/7/21/womens-track-field-gbais-run-ends-at-the-world-athletics-championships.aspx|website=meacsports.com|accessdate=24 August 2023|title= Gbai’s Run Ends at the World Athletics Championships|date=19 July 2022}}

She was part of the Ivory Coast 4x100m relay team that ran 42.23 seconds to set a new national record win the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne.{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/article/12589/preview-men-s-and-women-s-relays-world-athletics-championships-2023|website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=24 August 2023|title=Preview: Men's and Women's Relays - World Athletics Championships 2023|date=17 August 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/budapest23/news/preview/world-championships-budapest-preview-4x100m|website=World Athletics|accessdate=24 August 2023|date= 12 August 2023|title=

WCH Budapest 23 preview: 4x100m}} In August 2023, she set a new personal best time for the 200 meters of 22.43 seconds in Kinshasa jn winning gold for the Ivory Coast at the 2023 Francophone Games.{{cite web|url= https://news.abidjan.net/articles/723039/9-eme-jeux-de-la-francophonie-les-ivoiriens-jessica-gbai-et-cheickna-traore-remportent-la-medaille-dor-respectivement-au-200m-dames-et-hommes|date= August 5, 2023 |title=9th Francophonie Games: Ivorians Jessica Gbaï and Cheickna Traoré win the gold medal respectively in the Women's and Men's 200m

|website=abidjan.net|accessdate=25 May 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://lekpakpatosportif.net/jeux-de-la-francophonie-jessica-lauren-gbai-et-maboundou-kone-seront-aux-jeux-olympiques/|date= 4 August 2023|title=Jessica Lauren Gbai et Maboundou Koné seront aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024|website=lekpakpatosportif|accessdate=24 August 2023}}

Selected for the 200 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest kn August 2023, she qualified for the semi-finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4568/women-s-200m-results-world-athletics-championships-2023|website=Watch Athletics|title= Women's 200m Results: World Athletics Championships 2023|date=23 August 2023}}

She ran as part of the Ivory Coast 4x100m relay team which qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.{{cite web|website=World Athletics|url= https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/results/women/4x100-metres-relay/final/startlist |accessdate=12 May 2024|title= Women 4x100m Results - World Athletics Relays Championships 2024|date=5 May 2024}}

Jessika Gbai made her Olympics debut for women’s 200m on 4th August, 2024 at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In 200m, she finished her semi finals with a new personal best 22.36s. She successfully made into the final for 200m as a first-time Olympian, finished in 8th with a time of 22.70s{{Cite web |last=Paris 2024 |first= |date=5 August 2024 |title=Olympic Schedule & Results-Athletics - Women's 200m|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/athletics/women-s-200m?day=5-august |access-date=5 August 2024 |website=Paris 2024 Olympics |language=en}} She also competed in the 4x100m relay at the Games.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/5860/women-s-4x100m-relay-results-paris-olympic-games-2024-athletics |website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=28 December 2024|title=Women's 4 x 100 Metres Relay - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics|date=9 August 2024}}

She ran 23.14 seconds to finish sixth in the 200 metres at the 2025 Xiamen Diamond League event in China, in April 2025.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6564/results-xiamen-diamond-league-2025|website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=2 May 2025|title= Results - Xiamen Diamond League 2025|date=26 April 2025}} She also finishes sixth at the 2025 Shanghai Diamond League event in China on 3 May 2025, in a new seasons best time of 22.88 seconds.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6590/results-shanghai-suzhou-diamond-league-2025|date=3 May 2025 |website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=5 May 2025|title= Results - Shanghai/Suzhou Diamond League 2025}} In May 2025, she was named as a challenger for the long sprints category at the 2025 Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia.{{cite web|url=https://citiusmag.com/articles/grand-slam-track-full-athletes-field-philadelphia-racers-challengers|website=Citiusmag.com|access-date=28 May 2025|title= Grand Slam Track Announces Full Athletes Field For Philadelphia: Full Racers, Challengers Competing|first=Chris|last=Chavez|date=May 23, 2025}} She finished sixth over 200 metres at the Diamond League event at the 2025 Golden Gala in Rome on 6 June 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6705/results-rome-diamond-league-golden-gala-2025#google_vignette |website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=7 June 2025|title= Results - Rome Diamond League Golden Gala 2025 |date=6 June 2025}}

=Circuit performances=

References

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:Ivorian female sprinters

Category:21st-century Ivorian sportswomen

Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Ivory Coast

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic athletes for Ivory Coast