| Jessika Gbai | |
| Full Name: | Jessika Lauren Maca Gbai |
| Nationality: | Ivory Coast |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Event: | Sprint |
| Birth Date: | 29 December 1998 |
| Birth Place: | DALOA, Côte d'Ivoire |
| Height: | 1.67/5'6 |
| Education: | Howard University |
| Pb: | 100m: 11.22 (Clermont, 2023) 200m:22.36 (Paris, 2024) |
Jessika Lauren Maca Gbai (born 29 December 1998) is an Ivorian track and field athlete from the Ivory Coast who competes as a sprinter.[1] Gbai made her Olympic debut for women’s 200m on 4th August, 2024 at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. And successfully made into the final, finished in 8th[2] for her Olympic-Final debut as a first-time Olympian.
Jessika Gbai born in Cote d'Ivoire, moved to Philadelphia (USA) as a child, she holds both citizenships. Was cleared by World Athletics to represent Cote d'Ivoire starting from 1 June 2022. [3]
She graduated from Howard University in 2022 with degrees in biology and political science.[4] [5]
Jessika Gbai competed in the 200 metres at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, running 22.82 seconds in the semi-final.[6]
She was part of the Ivory Coast 4x100m relay team that ran 42.23 seconds to set a new national record win the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne.[7] [8] In August 2023, she set a new personal best time for the 200 meters of 22.43 seconds in Kinshasa jn winning gold for the Ivory Coast at the 2023 Francophone Games.[9] [10]
Selected for the 200 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest kn August 2023, she qualified for the semi-finals.[11]
She ran as part of the Ivory Coast 4x100m relay team which qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.[12]
Jessika Gbai made her Olympics debut for women’s 200m on 4th August, 2024 at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In 200m, she finished her semi finals with a new personal best 22.36s. She successfully made into the final for 200m as an first-time Olympian, finished in 8th with a time of 22.70s[13]