Ousseynou Diop of Senegal, a member of the Armed Forces Sports Association (ASFA), won the 37th edition of the Dakar-Gorée Swim on Sunday, September 27, taking first position in the men’s professional race.
Having already won the previous four editions, ASFA swimmer Ousseynou Diop claimed his fifth consecutive title in the open-water swimming event, the Dakar-Gorée Swim, organised by the Senegalese Swimming and
Lifesaving Federation.
The men’s podium was entirely made up of swimmers from ASFA. Moussa Gueye came second, and Adama Thiaw Ndir, also a member of the military team, finished third.
In the women’s division, victory went to Senegalese swimmer Aïcha Diop, representing the Atlantique Olympique Club (AOC).
The professional race, held over a distance of 5.2 kilometres between Dakar and Gorée, drew approximately 200 swimmers.
Amateur swimmers, for their part, covered 4.5 kilometres, with more than 900 participants registered for this year’s event, according to the organizers.
The 37th edition was also attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Djireye Clotilde Coly, who emphasized the need to promote swimming, particularly in schools, as well as the identification and support of young swimmers.
Established in 1985, the Dakar-Gorée Swim is one of the major open-water swimming events held in Senegal.
It connects Dakar, located on the Cape Verde Peninsula, to Gorée Island, off the coast of the Senegalese capital, along a 5.2-kilometer ocean route for professional swimmers.
The organisers stated that beyond the sporting competition, this swimming event highlights an iconic maritime route connecting the capital to the historic island of Gorée, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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