Benin's Nelcy Noudofinin finished tenth in the women's Taijiquan Combined on 16.189 and Gabon's Tracy Assengone eleventh in the women's Changquan Combined after the Dakar 2026 preliminaries. Only the top eight reach Tuesday's medal finals.

Two of the African athletes who stepped onto the taolu carpet at Africa's first Olympic event have completed their Dakar 2026 campaigns. Benin's Nelcy Noudofinin finished tenth in the women's Taijiquan Combined and Gabon's Tracy Assengone eleventh in the women's Changquan Combined after the preliminary round at the Dakar Expo Center in Diamniadio. Only the top eight in each event go through to Tuesday's medal finals.

Noudofinin climbs one place on day two

Noudofinin, who sat eleventh after Sunday's taijishan (tai chi fan) routine with 7.933, saved her stronger performance for Monday's bare-hand taijiquan. Her 8.256 was the ninth best mark of that session and took her total to 16.189, enough to move up to tenth overall, according to Bénin Web TV, Benin-sports and Matin Libre.

Her coach John-Christ Komenan praised her progress and courage, calling the Games "a founding experience for the future of Beninese wushu" in comments to Matin Libre. Noudofinin told Benin-sports she was happy to have represented her country and intends to keep working to improve.

Assengone fights back after a nervous start

Assengone opened her women's Changquan Combined campaign on Sunday with the gunshu (staff) routine and scored 6.710, which left her twelfth of twelve. Speaking to Gabonactu after that first appearance, she admitted the occasion got to her: "I was trembling slightly." Her coach Christian Rock Ndong Nkoghe explained that regular weapons training is hard to organise in Gabon and expected her to be stronger in empty-hand changquan, her specialty.

He was right. On Monday Assengone raised her score to 7.086 in changquan, her best mark of the competition, and finished eleventh overall, Gabonactu and L'Union reported.

A first step for African wushu

Wushu taolu is making its Olympic competition debut in Dakar, with 12 athletes in each of the four combined events. For federations such as Benin and Gabon, earning a place at these Games was already a milestone, and both athletes leave with experience at the biggest event the sport has reached so far.

The four finals, in men's and women's Changquan Combined and Taijiquan Combined, take place on Tuesday, 3 November, when the first Olympic wushu medals will be awarded. EUWUSHU.TV will report on every final.

Sources: Bénin Web TV, Benin-sports, Matin Libre, Gabonactu, L'Union. Photo: IWUF

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