Gabriel Tiacoh
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Tiacoh was a sprint
er from Côte d'Ivoire
who specialised in the 400 metres
. He is best known for winning his nation's sole Olympic medal thus far, in the 400 meters in 1984.
A former African record holder, he was the African champion
over the distance in 1984 and 1989, as well as being the silver medallist in 1985 and 1988. He competed at the World Championships in Athletics in 1983 and 1987, finishing seventh in the 400 m final at the latter edition. He represented Côte d'Ivoire at the Olympics
for a second time at the 1988 Seoul Games, but did not make the final.
He died of viral meningitis
in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia
at the age of 29, survived by his only daughter Alexis Tiacoh. He had a personal best of 44.30 seconds for the 400 m.
, and was knocked out in the quarter-final stage of the men's 400 m
. In 1984 he started by winning the 400 metres
event at the African Championships in Athletics
in Rabat
. A few weeks later, at the Olympic Games
, he managed to win the silver medal with 44.54 seconds, a new African record. At 21 years of age, Tiacoh had become the first Olympic medal winner from a West Africa
n country and so far the only from Côte d'Ivoire
. He also ran in the 4×400 metres relay at the competition, but the men's team (including Georges Kablan Degnan, Avognan Nogboum and René Djédjémel Mélédjé
) was knocked out in the semi-finals.
He lost his continental 400 m title to Innocent Egbunike
at the 1985 African Championships in Athletics
, although Tiacoh still managed to win a silver medal. The following year he improved his African 400 m record twice; first with a run of 44.32, then another of 44.30 seconds (which was the fastest by any athlete that season). He also managed to become the NCAA champion that year. Tiacoh ran at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
and easily progressed through the heats to the final. However, he only managed to finish in seventh place in the 400 m final as he could not match his previous form (his semi-final time of 44.69 s would have been enough to gain the bronze).
At the 1988 African Championships in Athletics
, he was again beaten into second place by Egbunike. The Côte d'Ivoire team managed a silver medal in the relay event. Tiacoh represented his country at the Olympics for a second time, but he could not repeat his medal success and was eliminated in the quarter-finals after finishing in fifth place. He helped the Ivorian relay team to the Olympic semi-final, but they finished in sixth position and did not qualify for the final.
His final year of major competitions was 1989: he regained his 400 m African title at the 1989 African Championships in Athletics
and also won a gold medal at the first Jeux de la Francophonie
. Representing Africa at the 1989 IAAF World Cup
, he finished third in the 400 m for the bronze medal.
Tiacoh died in 1992 in Atlanta of viral meningitis
at the age of 29. He remains the 400 m national record
holder for Côte d'Ivoire.
He had an annual track and field
meeting named in his honour – the Gabriel Tiacoh meet in Abidjan
.
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
er from Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
who specialised in the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
. He is best known for winning his nation's sole Olympic medal thus far, in the 400 meters in 1984.
A former African record holder, he was the African champion
African Championships in Athletics
The African Championships in Athletics is a continental athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics. It is generally organised biennually, every other event is held same year as the Summer Olympics....
over the distance in 1984 and 1989, as well as being the silver medallist in 1985 and 1988. He competed at the World Championships in Athletics in 1983 and 1987, finishing seventh in the 400 m final at the latter edition. He represented Côte d'Ivoire at the Olympics
Côte d'Ivoire at the Olympics
Côte d'Ivoire has sent athletes to all Summer Olympic Games held since 1964 except for 1980. Only once has the country won an Olympic medal: Gabriel Tiacoh, who won a silver medal in the men's 400 metres in 1984. No athletes from Côte d'Ivoire have competed in any Winter Olympic...
for a second time at the 1988 Seoul Games, but did not make the final.
He died of viral meningitis
Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis refers to meningitis caused by a viral infection. It is sometimes referred to as "aseptic meningitis" in contrast to meningitis caused by bacteria.An example is lymphocytic choriomeningitis....
in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
at the age of 29, survived by his only daughter Alexis Tiacoh. He had a personal best of 44.30 seconds for the 400 m.
Career
He took part in the inaugural World Championships in Athletics1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
, and was knocked out in the quarter-final stage of the men's 400 m
1983 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres
These are the official results of the men's 400 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 55 participating athletes, with seven qualifying heats and the final held on 10 August 1983.-Medalists:...
. In 1984 he started by winning the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
event at the African Championships in Athletics
African Championships in Athletics
The African Championships in Athletics is a continental athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics. It is generally organised biennually, every other event is held same year as the Summer Olympics....
in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
. A few weeks later, at the Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:...
, he managed to win the silver medal with 44.54 seconds, a new African record. At 21 years of age, Tiacoh had become the first Olympic medal winner from a West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n country and so far the only from Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
. He also ran in the 4×400 metres relay at the competition, but the men's team (including Georges Kablan Degnan, Avognan Nogboum and René Djédjémel Mélédjé
René Djédjémel Mélédjé
René Djédjémel Mélédjé is a retired Côte d'Ivoire hurdler.At the 1985 African Championships he won the 110 metres hurdles and finished third in the 400 metres hurdles...
) was knocked out in the semi-finals.
He lost his continental 400 m title to Innocent Egbunike
Innocent Egbunike
Innocent Egbunike is a former sprinter from Nigeria who won an Olympic bronze medal in 4 x 400 metres relay in Los Angeles 1984...
at the 1985 African Championships in Athletics
1985 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
, although Tiacoh still managed to win a silver medal. The following year he improved his African 400 m record twice; first with a run of 44.32, then another of 44.30 seconds (which was the fastest by any athlete that season). He also managed to become the NCAA champion that year. Tiacoh ran at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
and easily progressed through the heats to the final. However, he only managed to finish in seventh place in the 400 m final as he could not match his previous form (his semi-final time of 44.69 s would have been enough to gain the bronze).
At the 1988 African Championships in Athletics
1988 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
, he was again beaten into second place by Egbunike. The Côte d'Ivoire team managed a silver medal in the relay event. Tiacoh represented his country at the Olympics for a second time, but he could not repeat his medal success and was eliminated in the quarter-finals after finishing in fifth place. He helped the Ivorian relay team to the Olympic semi-final, but they finished in sixth position and did not qualify for the final.
His final year of major competitions was 1989: he regained his 400 m African title at the 1989 African Championships in Athletics
1989 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
and also won a gold medal at the first Jeux de la Francophonie
Athletics at the 1989 Jeux de la Francophonie
The results of the athletics competition at the first Jeux de la Francophonie, held in Morocco.-Men's Results:-Women's Results:-References:*...
. Representing Africa at the 1989 IAAF World Cup
1989 IAAF World Cup
The 5th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on September 8–10, 1989, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain.-Men:...
, he finished third in the 400 m for the bronze medal.
Tiacoh died in 1992 in Atlanta of viral meningitis
Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis refers to meningitis caused by a viral infection. It is sometimes referred to as "aseptic meningitis" in contrast to meningitis caused by bacteria.An example is lymphocytic choriomeningitis....
at the age of 29. He remains the 400 m national record
Ivorian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Côte d'Ivoire maintained by its national athletics federation: Fédération Ivoirienne d'Athlétisme .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:-External links:...
holder for Côte d'Ivoire.
He had an annual track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
meeting named in his honour – the Gabriel Tiacoh meet in Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | World Championships 1983 World Championships in Athletics The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983.... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
5th (quarter-final) | 400 m 1983 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres These are the official results of the men's 400 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 55 participating athletes, with seven qualifying heats and the final held on 10 August 1983.-Medalists:... |
|
| 5th (heats) | 4×100 m relay | ||||
| 7th (heats) | 4×400 m relay | ||||
| 1984 | African Championships 1984 African Championships in Athletics The 1984 African Championships in Athletics were held in Rabat, Morocco from August 12 to August 15, 1984 in the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
1st | 400 m | |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:... |
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... |
2nd | 400 m | ||
| 6th (semi-finals) | 4×400 m relay | ||||
| 1985 | African Championships 1985 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Cairo Cairo Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life... , Egypt |
2nd | 400 m | |
| 1987 | World Championships 1987 World Championships in Athletics The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995... |
Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy |
7th | 400 m 1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres These are the official results of the Men's 400 metres event at the 1987 IAAF World Championships in Rome, Italy. There were a total number of 48 participating athletes, with six qualifying heats and the final held on Thursday 1987-09-03.-Medalists:... |
|
| 1988 | African Championships 1988 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Annaba Annaba Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria.... , Algeria |
2nd | 400 m | |
| Summer Olympics Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul a total number of 42 events in athletics were contested: 24 by men and 18 by women. There were a total number of 1617 participating athletes from 149 countries.-Men's events:... |
Seoul Seoul Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world... , South Korea |
5th (quarter-finals) | 400 m | ||
| 6th (semi-finals) | 4×400 m relay | ||||
| 1989 | African Championships 1988 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Annaba Annaba Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria.... , Algeria |
1st | 400 m | |
| IAAF World Cup 1989 IAAF World Cup The 5th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on September 8–10, 1989, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain.-Men:... |
Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
3rd | 400 m | ||
| Jeux de la Francophonie Athletics at the 1989 Jeux de la Francophonie The results of the athletics competition at the first Jeux de la Francophonie, held in Morocco.-Men's Results:-Women's Results:-References:*... |
Casablanca Casablanca Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture... , Morocco Morocco Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara... |
1st | 400m | ||
Trivia
- In the comedy sketch show Little BritainLittle BritainLittle Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
, Denver Mills (David WalliamsDavid WalliamsDavid Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
) claims to have the silver medal won by Tiacoh at the 1984 Summer Olympics, however this is not mentioned in the show. (The comedy arises from the fact that people do not appreciate his achievement as much as he would like.)