Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango made history on Monday by winning his nation’s first-ever gold medal at the World Athletics Championships with victory in the triple jump.
The 30-year-old jumped 17.64 meters in his fifth attempt to see off the competition in Budapest, Hungary.
“Look at my big, big, big smiling mouth,” Zango told reporters, per Reuters.
“It tells you everything. I had so many difficulties and doubts, I have been struggling a lot. I had to travel a very long way to get this gold medal.
“I am proud to be the man who keeps his word. I promised to make history and I did it tonight.”
World No. 2 Zango has been flirting with winning gold for quite some time.
He won bronze at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, before picking up silver at the 2022 edition.
He also won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2022.
“I cannot imagine the level of celebration in my country when I go back home, but I’m going to start the celebrations in Budapest,” Zango added.
“We have some troubles in our country now and it is an incredible mission to bring some positive emotions to them.”
Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez won silver with a 17.41-meters jump, edging out compatriot Cristian Napoles who picked up bronze with a jump of 17.40 meters.