| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | André Bicaba |
| Nationality | Burkinabé |
| Born | 12 January 1945 |
| Height | 5.7 ft (170 cm)[1] |
| Weight | 148 lb (67 kg)[1] |
André Bicaba (born 12 January 1945[1]) is a former Burkinabé sprinter.
Bicaba became the first athlete to represent the Republic of Upper Volta at the Olympic Games when he competed in the Men's 100 metres at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He finished fifth in his heat with a time of 10.71 seconds.[1]
Prior to the 1972 Summer Olympics, Bicaba lived in Bobo-Dioulasso and worked as a physical education teacher. He is a member of the Bwaba tribe. He began his athletic training a year before the Olympics after a new government initiative emphasized physical fitness and greatly improved the country's athletic facilities. West Germany funded his trip to the Olympics through a scholarship which also allowed him a month to train in and acclimatize to Munich. When interviewed about his Olympic prospects before competing, he said that "we cannot dream of a medal" but "who can predict results?"[2]
As he was the only competitor from the African nation he was also the flag bearer at the opening and closing ceremonies.
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Profile of André Bicaba". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
- ↑ Berkow, Ira (September 5, 1972). "Where is Upper Volta? Well, it's at the Olympics, to begin with". The Lompoc Record. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 12. Retrieved January 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.