After the disappointment of Tokyo, Cheick Cissé, the Rio champion, clinched a bronze medal in Paris. Although he fell just short of making it to the final, the medal is a significant achievement for the Ivorian taekwondoist who had set his sights on a higher podium finish.

"You know, when you’re African and one of the most decorated on the continent, there are high expectations," Cheick Cissé remarked after his first fight. On August 10th, Côte d’Ivoire had high hopes pinned on Cissé as their top medal prospect following the previous day's setback with Ruth Gbagbi's performance.

Cissé, the Olympic champion from Rio, had the support of prominent figures like Ivorian Sports Minister Adjé Silas Metch and Tidjane Thiam, president of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI). Despite the added pressure, Cissé demonstrated his authority in the early rounds, defeating Kasra Mehdipournejad in the Round of 16 and Jonathan Healy in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals, Cissé faced 21-year-old British competitor Caden Cunningham. The triple African champion couldn't leverage his experience to overcome his opponent. After losing the first round, Cissé won the second, and the third ended in a tie. Cunningham edged out with the final points scored with a kick to the head, securing his victory. Cissé was devastated but given another chance to compete for the bronze.

At this critical juncture, Lucien Kragbé, a 6th Dan black belt and Cissé's first coach from Ineka Club in Koumassi, Abidjan, stepped in. Cissé had insisted on having his former coach present in Paris. "I’m here to bolster his psychology," Kragbé said after the semi-final loss. "I’ll tell Cheick, 'You fought well, you didn’t lose. Forget what happened; now focus on the battle for the bronze medal.'"

Against Mexican Carlos Sansores for the bronze, Cissé made a strong comeback, winning 5-4 in the first round. Despite a close second round and a late surprise from Sansores, Cissé prevailed in a tight decisive round to secure the bronze.

For Cissé, even though it’s not gold, this medal holds great significance. It marks Côte d’Ivoire’s fifth Olympic medal and the fourth in taekwondo, according to Cissé’s former coach.

MC