Hugues-Fabrice Zango, Burkinabè alumni and triple jump world champion

And he reached the highest step of the podium with a 17 meters jump! Born in 1993 in Ouagadougou, Hugues-Fabrice Zango, is a Burkinabè athlete who wasn’t here for his first try since he was already ranked among the best three triple jumpers in the world! In addition to the world champion in 2023 won on 21 August, the first gold medal in athletics for Burkina Faso, he had also won the bronze medal in triple jump at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

The honour of Africa and the pride of the Pas-de-Calais

“He marked the history of his country, of a whole continent... And is pride of the Artois Athlétisme in Béthune, the club where he was licenced in France”. As the France 3 website explains, “though this world champion title is an honour for Burkina Faso and Africa, it is also the pride of the Pas-de-Calais region”.

After arriving in France in 2015 with a student visa, in parallel with his sport career, Hugues-Fabrice Zango chose to attend studies at the University of Artois in Béthune. He passed a Master’s degree in Engineering and Electric Systems in 2018. At the same time, the young student continued his sport career, being also licenced in the local sports club, Artois athlétisme. In 2017, Zango also participated in the Jeux de la Francophonie (Francophonie Games), the “cradle of many French-speaking talents” in which he won a gold medal in men athletics, in triple jump of course!

Then, he decided to continue his studies in France by starting a CIFRE thesis in 2019[1] (Industrial Agreement for Training through Research) in electric engineering, a doctorate course he should complete this year. He currently lives in Béthune and works as part of his agreement on original design of electric machines with the company Brunone Innovation specialised in transport and maintenance of industrial materials.

France Alumni is proud to count such a talented athlete among its members and sends him its warm congratulations for his remarkable career.  

[1] An Industrial Agreement for Training through Research (CIFRE) is an agreement “subsiding any company incorporated under French law hiring a doctorate student to put him/her at the heart of a research agreement with a public lab. Work must prepare the defence of the student’s thesis”.

Explore more: 

- Bio of Hugues-Fabrice Zango (wikipedia)

- Hugues-Fabrice Zango, student in Béthune and triple jump world champion (France 3)

- Interview of Hugues-Fabrice Zango (Le Monde)