Local Senegalese swimmer Adama Thiaw Ndir won the men’s race and American Meredith Stakem won the women’s division at the 26th edition of the Traversée Dakar – Gorée. The 5.2 km race stretched from Thiaroye to La Voile d’Or in Senegal which saw swimmers from Senegal, Nigeria, Mali and Gambia participate.

Meredith Stakem, the Regional Technical Advisor of Nutrition and Maternal/Child Health at Catholic Relief Services in Dakar, said, “This is my first participation in this race. I swam as fast as I could. I did three times the other stages organized by the Senegalese Swimming Federation after arriving in Senegal in January, so it’s been nine months that I’m here.”

Ndir admitted, “It is not easy to win the Traversée Dakar – Gorée because it requires a lot of practice. I gave a huge effort to succeed. In previous years, I finished either second or third. This year, I set my sights higher.”

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