Canadian 110 metre hurdler, Sekou Kaba is one of the country’s rising track stack stars. On Wednesday 3 August, 2016, over 150 fans, friends, family, former schoolmates and teachers, gathered at the Barrhaven branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on Fallowfied Road to extend their good wishes to Sekou and fellow Nepean Olympian, Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson.
Most of the guests at the festive event wore red and white tops emblazoned with Canadian maple leaf. Kaba and Seltenreich-Hodgson, are both graduates of Nepean high schools, and had been selected for Canada’s Olympic team: Kaba for the men’s 110-metre hurdles race and Seltenreich-Hodgson for the women’s 200-metre individual medley swimming event. After a barbecue dinner, Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod praised both athletes for their dedication and being great role models for the younger generation.
In attendance to give her support was Kaba’s girlfriend Kashani Thomas. Also among the guests was Ottawa’s renowned radio/TV host, community activist and Black History Ottawa’s Community Outreach Officer, Sarah Onyango.
Photos copyright Black Ottawa Scene
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About Sekou Kaba
Sekou Kaba was born in Conakry, Guinea on August 25, 1990 as the third child of seven and lived there for the first 10 years of his childhood. In 2001, he moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan with his siblings in hopes of a better education. The move to Michigan did not only provide him access to better books and teachers but also to sports teams and athletic training. Before this, Sekou had never seen or heard of track and field. He didn’t know what hurdles were or how to get over them. His first memory of track involves seeing schoolmates jumping over hurdles during an after school program and knowing that this was something he would eventually love to master. Sekou knew it would be a challenge and the very next day he found himself at this after school program getting beat by girls and falling on his face, literally.
Four years later Sekou was in love with every aspect of hurdling and brought this passion along with him as he and his family moved to Snellville, Georgia. He brought the desire with him but didn’t have the confidence to try out for the track team. Previous years of bullying due to his developing English had discouraged Sekou from interacting with others in order to avoid the risk of being mocked and made fun of for his accent- things that he had previously experienced in Michigan. He sacrificed an entire season of track and field and all other sports because of this. Over the next year he made it a priority to improve his English. Sekou knew that improving his English would kick-start his return to track but he knew that it would not be the sole contributing factor. With the help of his cousin, Sekou was able to put together a home gym to train and better prepare him for his highly anticipated comeback season.
The following year had come and his first appearance in varsity sports was not on the track but rather on the field of Shiloh High School playing football. Sekou displayed characteristics of a well-rounded athlete and was able to pick up new skills quickly in a sport he had only seen on T.V. His linebacker coach, Don Hudson, who had just been named the head coach of track and field at Shiloh High School, recognized Sekou’s potential and facilitated Sekou’s transition onto the track. From the moment Sekou cleared his first hurdle he emerged as the best hurdler in the school and went on to be one of the best in the county, region and was top 5 at States over the next two years. In 2007, Sekou moved to Ottawa leaving behind many NCAA scholarship offers for track and football but continued his athletic career in Canada.
Sekou Kaba had wanted to represent Canada since he first arrived in the country and made the standard to compete at the IAAF World Youth Championships, but was ineligible because he was not yet a Canadian citizen. He watched his teammates on TV knowing that someday his opportunity would come. He received his Canadian citizenship in 2012 and represented his new country for the first time at the U23 NACAC meet in Mexico, despite being hindered that season by patellar tendinopathy. He achieved a career highlight at the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie where he won gold in the 110m hurdles, defeating 2005 World Champion Ladji Doucouré on his home soil in France. He also struggled that season with hamstring troubles in both legs. At the Canadian Championships, Kaba finished second in the 110m hurdles in 2012 and 2013 before placing third in 2014 and 2015, setting his personal best of 13.43 seconds at the latter. After he missed advancing to the 110m hurdles final at the 2015 Pan Am Games by just 0.02 of a second, Kaba made his IAAF World Championship debut in Beijing, reaching the semifinals. He won the 2014 CIS national title in the 60m hurdles, setting a CIS Championship record of 7.79 seconds, breaking a mark held by 1992 Olympic gold medallist Mark McKoy since 1984.
Sekou had a disappointing debut in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 15, placing 8th in the heats. He is however assured of a place in Canada’s sporting history as he continues to hone his skills as one of Canada’s rising track stars. He continues to train with the Ottawa Lions today.
Getting to know…
Family: Father Abdourahmane Kaba and mother Seynabou Gueye… Is the third oldest of seven children with siblings Aissatou, Djaba, Saran, Ismael, Fanta and Hawa… The family moved to Canada in 2007 after spending his teenage years in the United States where the family had immigrated in 2001…
Getting into the Sport: Started running track at age 11… Had never heard of track and field in Guinea but was drawn to athletes training when he went to his new school in Ypsilanti, Michigan… Was always known for his jumping skills so he saw it as an opportunity to showcase his athleticism…
Outside Interests: Loves music and can spend hours digging for ethereal sounds for his iPod… Can see himself doing photography as a career; during the competitive season is constantly scouting, shooting and editing photos… Has a part time job managing a photo booth at special events… Studying criminology at the University of Ottawa…
Odds and Ends: Always travels with natural peanut butter because it’s hard to find abroad… Sometimes has a peanut butter cookie on his way to the track because he likes to be happy when he races… Favourite quote: “It’s never wrong to do the right thing.” – Mark Twain…
Sekou Kaba’s achievements
| GAMES: | SPORT: | EVENT: | FINISH: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Rio | Athletics | 110m Hurdles – Men | 8 in Heat |
Notable International Results
Olympic Games: 2016 – 8th in Heat (110m hurdles)
Pan American Games: 2015 – 9th (110m hurdles)
IAAF World Championships: 2015 – 22nd (110m hurdles)
NACAC: 2012 – 5th (110m hurdles)
Facts about Sekou Kaba
- Born: August 25, 1990
- Age: 26
- Height: 188cm
- Weight: 88kg
- Birthplace: Conakry, Guinea
- Home Province: Ontario
- Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Sources: Sekoukaba.ca and Olympic.ca/team-Canada (Canadian Olympic Team official website)