Aliou Drame

Started: He took up Para archery in 2014 in Lyon, France. (sudquotidien.sn, 22 Dec 2023) Reason: His mother-in-law was vice president of the archery club where he took up the sport. "I was just doing it for fun. I fell in love with archery." (sudquotidien.sn, 22 Dec 2023) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (sudquotidien.sn, 22 Dec 2023) Additional Info: DUAL CITIZEN He has dual citizenship of Senegal and France. He decided to represent Senegal in Para archery. "I was contacted by the French federation for a selection of [archers] for the [2024] Paralympic Games in Paris. [But] I was approached by a Senegalese compatriot, Adama Badji. He was the one who told me that in Senegal, there is an archery federation. I almost joined the French team but he convinced me." (sudquotidien.sn, 22 Dec 2023) WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL His involvement in Para sport began with wheelchair basketball. He represented Senegal in the sport before discovering archery, and has also played for wheelchair basketball club teams in Europe. "[As a child] I followed my friends everywhere. Sometimes I was their coach or I was the referee when they played football. I immediately loved sport. The day I knew that despite my disability I could play sports, I didn't hesitate. I was over the moon. I discovered basketball with the Dakar Plateau club [in Senegal]. This club taught me a lot because at that time, I didn't spend much time with disabled people. I learned to free myself. I then joined the Ouakam disabled association. We were going to encourage other disabled people to play sports. Today I bring back wheelchairs and balls for the association's wheelchair basketball team." (sudquotidien.sn, 22 Dec 2023)