Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Antoine Ntsana Nkounkou |
Nickname | Jean Madia[1] |
Nationality | Congolese |
Born | Pointe-Noire | 13 September 1948 or 18 August 1948
Died | 11 November 2017[1] | (aged 69)
Sport | |
Sport | Sprinting |
Event | 4 × 100 metres relay |
Antoine Ntsana Nkounkou (13 September or 18 August 1948 – 11 November 2017) was a Congolese sprinter. He competed in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics.[2]
Career
Following an appearance at the 1970 World University Games where Nkounkou barely missed qualification to the 100 m semifinals and was disqualified in the 4 × 100 m, Nkounkou's talent was first discovered in 1971, at an athletics meeting in Abidjan where Nkounkou again contested the 100 m and 4 × 100 m. Nkounkou won an individual gold medal in the 100 m as well as 4 × 100 m gold at the 1972 Central African Cup, the precursor event to the Central African Games. This earned him selection onto the Congolese team at the 1972 Olympics, where he and his teammates (Jean Pierre Basségéla, Louis Nkandza and Théophile Nkounkou) were the only Congolese competitors to advance past the first round, and as of 2023 remain the only Congolese team to ever reach the semi-finals of the 4 × 100 metres relay at the Olympics.[1]
Following their success, that squad was nicknamed the "Migs Congolais", and they were active in international competition throughout the 1970s and 80s.[1] Highlights included qualifying for the finals and placing 7th at the 1979 World University Games, as well as competing in the 1983 edition. With a time of 39.5 seconds, they broke the Republic of Congo record in the 4 × 100 m at the African Games.[1]
They qualified for the African Championships finals three times, at the inaugural edition in 1979 and at the following two editions in Cairo and in Rabat.[1]
Personal life
Nkounkou graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism in Moscow. By the late 1980s, Nkounkou and his team had retired due to age, and Nkounkou attended the 1992 Summer Olympics as an official. He later became a physical education teacher and athletics coach.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "UN «MIG» VIENT DE S'ÉCRASER À BRAZZAVILLE" (PDF) (in French). Le Patriote. p. 16.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Antoine Nkounkou Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
External links