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Higinio Ndong Obama

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Higinio Ndong
Personal information
Full nameHiginio Ndong Obama Nkara
Born (1998-09-19) 19 September 1998 (age 26)
Mbom-Esisis, Niefang [es], Equatorial Guinea
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Sport
Country Equatorial Guinea
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubMalabo Swimming Club
CoachFlorencio Engono

Higinio Ndong Obama Nkara (born 19 September 1998) is an Equatoguinean swimmer. He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics and served as his country's co-flag bearer at the opening ceremony.

Biography

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Ndong was born on 19 September 1998 in the village of Mbom-Esisis, located in Niefang District [es], Centro Sur Province, Equatorial Guinea.[1][2] He grew up in the country and became a competitive swimmer in 2013.[2] A member of the Malabo Swimming Club, and coached by Florencio Engono,[3] he regularly competed in short-distance events – including the 50 metres in freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly stroke, and in the 100 metres in freestyle.[2][4] He won the gold medal at the district championships in 2019.[2]

Ndong was selected to make his international debut at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), although he ended up being a non-starter in both his scheduled events, the 50m and 100m freestyle.[5] He competed at the 2022 African Swimming Championships as one of only two Equatoguineans.[6] He also participated at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in the 50m freestyle, being unable to advance past his heat with a time of 29.48 seconds, although a personal best.[4][5] He competed for Equatorial Guinea at the 2023 African Games, hosted in Accra, and set a personal best time in the 50m butterfly at 32.54s, only eight-hundredths of a second slower than the national record, although he placed fourth in his heat and failed to advance.[7]

Ndong was selected for the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, although he was a non-starter in both events he was chosen for, and was selected for the 2024 African Swimming Championships in four events.[5] In July 2024, he received a universality selection to participate at the 2024 Summer Olympics, being one of only three Equatoguineans invited and the only swimmer.[8] Along with Sefora Ada Eto, Ndong served as the co-flag bearer for his country at the opening Olympic ceremony.[9] At the Olympics, he competed in the 50m freestyle event as part of heat two.[10][11][12] He placed third in his heat with a time of 28.42, setting a personal best and the national record, although he failed to advance to the semifinals.[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ "Higinio Ndong Obama". Eurosport.
  2. ^ a b c d "🌟 Presentamos a Higinio Ndong Obama Nkara: Nuestro Orgullo Olímpico en Natación 🌟" [🌟 Introducing Higinio Ndong Obama Nkara: Our Olympic Swimming Pride 🌟] (in Spanish). Olympic Committee of Equatorial Guinea. 2 July 2024 – via Instagram.
  3. ^ "JJ.OO 24: HIGINIO NDONG, RECIBIDO COMO UN HÉROE A SU REGRESO AL PAÍS" [Olympic Games 24: HIGINIO NDONG, RECEIVED AS A HERO ON HIS RETURN TO THE COUNTRY]. Huella Deportiva (in Spanish). 7 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b Ondo Ndong, Alfredo (29 July 2024). "¿Cuándo debutará Guinea Ecuatorial en los Juegos Olímpicos de París 2024?" [When will Equatorial Guinea debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?]. La Gaceta de Guinea Ecuatorial (in Spanish).
  5. ^ a b c Higinio Ndong at World Aquatics Edit this at Wikidata
  6. ^ Edu Mbuy, Fernando Abeso (23 May 2022). "Dos atletas ecuatoguineanos viajan a Senegal para participar en el Campeonato Africano de Natación" [Two Equatoguinean athletes travel to Senegal to participate in the African Swimming Championships]. Real Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish).
  7. ^ "Juegos Africanos 2023: el nadador Higinio Ndong mejora su marca personal" [African Games 2023: swimmer Higinio Ndong improves his personal best]. Milaang (in Spanish). 11 March 2024.
  8. ^ Peluffo, Santiago (11 July 2024). "Guinea Ecuatorial en los Juegos Olímpicos: atletas, fechas clave y cómo verlos en París 2024" [Equatorial Guinea at the Olympic Games: athletes, key dates and how to see them in Paris 2024]. Olympics.com (in Spanish).
  9. ^ "Paris 2024 | Opening ceremony flagbearers information" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. 26 July 2024.
  10. ^ Abel, Allen (1 August 2024). "Allen Abel: How 'Eric the Eel' had one bad swim and became an enduring Olympic legend". National Post.
  11. ^ "Juegos Olímpicos Paris: ¡Higinio Ndong Obama supera su marca, pero no avanza a la siguiente ronda en natación!" [Paris Olympic Games: Higinio Ndong Obama surpasses his record, but does not advance to the next round in swimming!]. Milaang (in Spanish). 1 August 2024.
  12. ^ Engonga Ngui, Benjamín (3 August 2024). "HIGINIO NDONG DEBUTA CON ORGULLO EN LOS JUEGOS OLÍMPICOS, PERO NO SE CLASIFICA" [HIGINIO NDONG PROUDLY DEBUTS IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES, BUT DOES NOT QUALIFY]. Huella Deportiva (in Spanish).
  13. ^ Angüe Esodja, Sinforosa Nkene (2 August 2024). "JJOO París 2024: el nadador Higinio Nkogo Obama se queda fuera de la siguiente ronda de 50 metros a pesar de lograr el tercer puesto en su serie" [Paris 2024 Olympics: swimmer Higinio Nkogo Obama is left out of the next round of 50 meters despite achieving third place in his heat]. Real Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish).
  14. ^ Oyono Nkene, Gabriel Ebang (1 August 2024). "JJ.OO Paris 2024: El nadador Higinio Ndong Obama mejora la marca olímpica del país logrando la tercera posición en los 50 metros libres" [Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Swimmer Higinio Ndong Obama improves the country's Olympic record by achieving third position in the 50 meter freestyle]. Ahora EG (in Spanish).
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Olympic Games
Preceded by Flag bearer for  Equatorial Guinea
2024 Paris
with
Sefora Ada Eto
Succeeded by
Incumbent