Cyréna Samba-Mayela Explained

Cyréna Samba-Mayela
Birth Name:Cyréna Samba-Mayela
Birth Date:31 October 2000
Birth Place:Champigny-sur-Marne, France
Country:France
Sport:Athletics
Event:60 m hurdles
100 m hurdles
Coach:Teddy Tamgho (2019–)

Cyréna Samba-Mayela (born 31 October 2000)[1] is a French athlete who competes in the 60 metres hurdles and 100 metres hurdles. She won the gold medal in the 60 m hurdles at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, a silver medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships where she lowered the current French national record to 7.73 seconds, and the gold medal at the 2024 European Athletics Championships, where she established a new personal best, national record and championship record at 12.31 seconds. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Samba-Mayela won a silver medal in the 100 m hurdles event.

Samba-Mayela holds European under-18 bests in the 60 m and 100 m hurdles (76.2 cm). She won silver medals for the 100 m hurdles at the 2017 World U18 Championships and 2021 European U23 Championships.

Career

Junior career

Samba-Mayela won the gold medal in the medley relay at the 2016 European Youth Athletics Championships, running the 100 metres leg in Tbilisi.[2]

In 2017, she was the World U18 Championship 100 m hurdles silver medallist in Nairobi.[3]

2020–present

She was crowned French senior champion in the 60 m hurdles indoors in 2020 in Liévin.[4] On 12 September that year, she won the French outdoor championship at the Stadium Municipal, Albi, running the 100 m hurdles in a time of 12.73, the fastest ever time by a European teenager, and the eighth-fastest French woman ever. In 2020 it was the fourth-fastest time by a woman in the world.[5] Shortly prior to this, she had claimed victories over quality international line-ups in Chorzów and Marseille.[6]

In Madrid, on June 19, 2021, Samba-Mayela took victory in 12.80 seconds in the 100 m hurdles to meet the Olympic minimum standard for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[7] [8] Unfortunately, an injury during the warm-up pre-race prevented her Olympic debut.[9]

In 2022, she won the gold medal for the 60 m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia, setting a French national record of 7.78 seconds. Devynne Charlton took silver in 7.81 s while the third-placed Gabbi Cunningham clocked 7.87 s.[10]

In August 2023, she competed at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest and qualified for the semi-finals.[11]

She was a silver medalist at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow in the 60 metres hurdles.[12]

In April 2024, she ran a personal best and national record time of 12.55 at the 2024 Xiamen Diamond League.[13] She ran 12.52 to win the 2024 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on 25 May 2024.[14]

She won the 100m hurdles at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, breaking the championship record and setting a personal best time of 12.31 seconds.[15]

Achievements

International competitions

2016European U18 ChampionshipsTbilisi, Georgiabgcolor=gold1stMedley relay2:08.48
2017World U18 ChampionshipsNairobi, Kenyabgcolor=silver2nd100 m hurdles12.80
2018World U20 ChampionshipsTampere, Finland8th100 m hurdles14.11
2021European U23 ChampionshipsTallinn, Estoniabgcolor=silver2nd100 m hurdles12.80
2022World Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbiabgcolor=gold1st60 m hurdles7.78
World ChampionshipsEugene, United States28th (h)100 m hurdles13.15
European ChampionshipsMunich, Germany7th100 m hurdles13.05
2023European Indoor ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey8th (sf)60 m hurdles8.00
World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary17th (sf)100 m hurdles12.95
2024World Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdombgcolor=silver2nd60 m hurdles7.74
European ChampionshipsRome, Italybgcolor=gold1st100 m hurdles12.31

National titles

Personal life

Born in France, Samba-Mayela is of Congolese descent.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cyréna SAMBA-MAYELA | Profile. worldathletics.org.
  2. Web site: ATHLE.FR | Championnats d'Europe cadets : Deux nouvelles médailles d'or pour les Bleuets !. www.athle.fr. fr.
  3. Web site: Mondiaux cadets : Orban en or, Samba-Mayela en argent, Mouillac en bronze. July 16, 2017. Track and Life. fr. 20 June 2021. 1 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200301230331/https://www.trackandlife.fr/mondiaux-cadets-orban-en-or-samba-mayela-en-argent-mouillac-en-bronze/. dead.
  4. Web site: Cyrena Samba-Mayela, championne de France indoor sur 60m haies : " J'ai essayé de ne pas trop prendre de risques ". L'Équipe. fr.
  5. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles - women - senior - outdoor - 2020. www.worldathletics.org.
  6. Web site: Samba-Mayela and Belocian impress at French Championships, Jaeger breaks world U18 heptathlon best | REPORTS | World Athletics. worldathletics.org.
  7. Web site: Lavin set for Tokyo after Madrid run. June 19, 2021. BBC Sport.
  8. Web site: Cyrena Samba-Mayela (100m haies), Rouguy Diallo et Jean-Marc Pontvianne (triple saut) décrochent les minima olympiques à Madrid. L'Équipe. fr.
  9. Web site: Tokyo 2020 Men's 100m Results - Olympic athletics. Olympics.com.
  10. Web site: Dennehy . Cathal . 2022-03-28 . From Olympic heartbreak to world indoor delight for Samba-Mayela . 2022-03-28 . World Athletics.
  11. Web site: Women's 100m Hurdles Results: World Athletics Championships 2023. World Athletics. 23 August 2023.
  12. Web site: Women's 60m hurdles Results - World Athletics Indoor Championships 2024. Watch Athletics. 3 March 2024. 3 March 2024.
  13. Web site: Paulino opens season with 50.08 to win 400m in Xiamen; Charlton narrowly beaten by Camacho-Quinn in 100m hurdles. Sportsmax.tv. 22 April 2024. Bradley. Jacks. April 20, 2024.
  14. Web site: Josh Kerr defeats Ingebrigtsen in a British mile record in Eugene. Athletics Weekly. 26 May 2024. Jason. Henderson. May 26, 2024.
  15. Web site: World-leading championship records for Tentoglou and Samba-Mayela at European Championships in Rome. World Athletics. 8 June 2024. 8 June 2024.
  16. Web site: Championnats d’Europe en salle : les athlètes ultramarins et afro-français de la sélection française.