PARIS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Whenever Cheick Sallah Cisse stepped onto the mat at the Paris Olympics, the crowd at the Grand Palais erupted with chants of his name.
The top-seeded Ivorian, a symbol of his nation's taekwondo success, fought valiantly in the men's +80kg competition on Saturday, securing a bronze medal for Cote d'Ivoire.
Cisse, 30, began his Olympic campaign in Paris with decisive 2-0 victories over refugee athlete Kasra Mehdipournejad and Jonathan Healy of the United States. However, his pursuit of a second Olympic gold was cut short in the semifinal, where he fell to Britain's 21-year-old Caden Cunningham in a tightly contested match.
Despite the setback, Cisse displayed resilience, defeating Mexico's No. 2 seed Carlos Sansores in the bronze medal match, ensuring a podium finish for his country.
"Cisse is a national hero in Cote d'Ivoire," said Mamadou Toumany, an Ivorian expatriate who traveled from the United States to support his compatriot. "After his victory in Rio, taekwondo became increasingly popular, and he inspired a generation of young Ivorians."
Born in Bouake and raised in Abidjan, Cisse's journey to the pinnacle of taekwondo began modestly. His father worked at a school with a taekwondo program, and the young Cisse took up the martial art for fun after school. However, what started as a casual interest quickly ignited a passion for excellence, driving Cisse to pursue taekwondo as a pathway to greatness.
By the age of 20, Cisse had joined the national team, embarking on a career that would see him claim three African championships, a World Championship title, and two African Games gold medals.
The defining moment of Cisse's career came at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Trailing by a point in the final seconds against Britain's Lutalo Muhammad, Cisse delivered a stunning head kick, securing victory and capturing the gold medal.
"It was not just a personal triumph," Cisse reflected. "It was a dream realized for my country, inspiring many young people to chase their own dreams."
Since the 1970s, taekwondo has grown steadily in Cote d'Ivoire, evolving into the nation's "second sport" after soccer. Cisse and fellow taekwondo star Ruth Gbagbi, who won bronze in the women's 67kg category at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, have brought home three of the country's four Olympic medals.
Their success, combined with the Ivorian government's commitment to the sport, has led to a flourishing taekwondo scene. According to the Ivorian Taekwondo Federation, there are now 64,000 registered practitioners, double the number from 2017.
Cisse's bronze in Paris was Cote d'Ivoire's first medal of the Games, a source of immense pride for the athlete who also served as the nation's flag bearer.
"When you represent 26 million Ivorians, whatever happens, you have to look for a medal," Cisse said. "My nation's youth, my family, they all support me. They pushed me, mentally, they were with me, they prayed for me."
In contrast to his dynamic, high-scoring style in Rio, Cisse adopted a more conservative approach in Paris, favoring low-scoring punches over his signature spinning and head kicks. As the veteran reflects on his illustrious career, thoughts inevitably turn to the future.
Cisse, however, remains deeply connected to the sport. In 2023, he was appointed to the World Taekwondo Council and named co-chair of the World Taekwondo Athletes Committee.
"I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the development and promotion of taekwondo on an international level," he shared on social media.
Though his Olympic journey may be nearing its end, Cheick Sallah Cisse's legacy in Ivorian and global taekwondo is far from over.
