“I love the risk of the hurdles,” admits France’s Cyréna Samba-Mayela on the latest episode of Ignite documentary series on the European Athletics YouTube channel.
She compares the discipline to a “form of dance,” citing “the rhythm between the hurdles,” in a fascinating and insightful interview with the continent’s leading sprint hurdler.
Medal-laden 2024
Last year was a memorable year for the 24 year old, who won the women’s 100m gold at the Roma European Athletics Championships in a championships record time of 12.31.
She also won silver at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and - with the expectation of a nation on her shoulders - won silver at the Paris Olympic Games, the only French athlete to win a track and field medal.
In Ignite, she opens up on her childhood and taking part in ice skating, gymnastics and basketball before her relatively late beginning in athletics aged 15. She discusses the challenging transition from younger age groups to senior athletics.
She also discusses her relationships with some of her European rivals, including Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji.
In addition, she explains how she responded to a bout of COVID in the lead up to Paris 2024. How her faith helps her “approach competitions with grace” is also explored as is her interest in architecture.
Subscribe to the European Athletics YouTube channel and enjoy Samba-Mayela, Armand Duplantis, Femke Bol, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and other superstars of the sport on episodes of Ignite.