DIALLO Rouguy

General
DEALING WITH EXPECTATIONS
She said she struggled to deal with expectations that were placed on her after she won the triple jump event at the 2014 Junior World Championships in Eugene, OR, United States of America. "I didn't expect to win at all. I went from 13.74 metres to 14.44 metres straight away. That result allowed me to enter Diamond League meetings, European championships, and I just didn't handle it well. My goal was achieved much faster than expected, so I let myself go. I wasn't as serious about my workouts anymore, I gave up on my routines, and gained weight. My performances ended up suffering compared to what I was doing previously." She says failing to qualifying for the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was a turning point. "That was the wake-up call that I needed, and I learned a lot about myself. I have a lot of ego and pride, so I had to learn to take responsibility and be less self-centred. I also wasn't listening to my coach, and I was constantly questioning everything. Since I learned to listen to him again and to swallow my pride, things are much better." (byathlete.com, 07 Sep 2020; codesport.fr, 21 Aug 2019)

COACH
She says her coach, Teddy Tamgho, has had a particularly strong influence on her. "He's more than my coach, he's like my big brother. He's very strong on the mental side and is very direct. I may have been too fragile at times, but that's also why I have become who I am today." (codesport.fr, 21 Aug 2019)