Marie-Josée Ta Lou is a world-class sprinter from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), known for her blazing speed and remarkable consistency on the international stage. She has competed in numerous Olympic Games and World Championships, often ranking among the top sprinters globally in the 100m and 200m events. Her tenacity, resilience, and dedication have made her one of Africa’s most celebrated female athletes.
Marie-Josée ta lou, an Ivory Coast sprinter, has participated in competitions more frequently than any other name, and it has paid off as she is the highest-paid female athlete in the Diamond League. League so far in 2018. Ta Lou is unbeaten in his four 100m races and also picked up a win in the 200m in Rome.
Biography
Goneji Marie José Dominique Ta Lou-Smith is an Ivorian sprinter who competes in the 100m and 200m.Ivorian sprinter who competes in the 100m and 200m. She was born in Ivory Coast. He is committed.At the 2016 Olympic Games, he missed out on a medal in the 100 m by 0.007 seconds, finishing fourth in both the 100 and 200 m finals. She then won silver medals in the 100m and 200m at the 2017 World Championships.
She finished fourth in the 100 m and 200 m finals at the 2016 Olympic Games, missing out on a medal by seven-thousandths of a second in the 100 m. Her first passion was association football before her elder brother convinced him to switch to sprinting in 2008. With a time of 10.72 seconds, she holds the African 100-meter record. At the 2016 African Championships in Athletics, she won a gold medal in the 200m.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marie-Josée Dominique Ta Lou |
| Date of Birth | November 18, 1988 |
| Age | 36 (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Bouaflé, Côte d’Ivoire |
| Nationality | Ivorian |
| Height | 1.59 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | Approx. 52 kg (115 lbs) |
| Sport | Track and Field |
| Events | 100 metres, 200 metres |
| Coach | Anthony Koffi |
| Education | Graduated in medicine (pharmacy background) |
| Net Worth | Estimated $1-3 million (as of 2024) |
| @ta_lou_z | |
| Training Base | Dakar, Senegal |
| Club | Paris Université Club |
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Height, Weight
Marie Jose is 1.59 m (5 ft 3 in) tall and weighs 50 kg (110 lb). In 2011, in August, she competed in the World University Games in Shenzhen, China, in both the 100 m and 200 m events. Her personal bests were cut by her to 11.87 and 24.17 seconds, respectively. In Mozambique, she also placed twice in the finals of the All-Africa Games. She also set a new 100m personal best of 11.56 seconds in the heats.
Career
Ta Lou’s first passion was association football before his older brother agreed to switch to sprinting in 2008. was selected as the 2015 African Athlete of the Year by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa.She received her training in Paris, France, and attended the University of d’Abobo-Adjame in Abidjan.
Ta Lou played football at school in the neighborhood of Koumasir, a suburb of Abidjan. Her brother objected when a group of women tried to get her to join them, fearing that she would become a tomboy. Her friends suggested that if her sister enjoyed sports, she should take up athletics, as she was already regularly beating boys in her class in sprints. Coincidentally, Florence Onload, the 1988 Ivory Coast 100m champion, was a classmate of Ta Lu’s mother and invited Ta Lu to a trial. She beat the girls trained under Onload in the 200m race, even though she was running barefoot and had no time to prepare.
Basically, she couldn’t train regularly, because she had to study for her high school diploma. Her mother was also against it, as she believed there was too much uncertainty in sports, especially women’s sports. She wanted Marie-Josie to become a doctor.
🌍 International Success
- Olympics: Finalist in both the 100m and 200m at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
World Championships:
- Silver Medal in 100m and Bronze Medal in 200m at the 2017 London World Championships.
- Consistently reached finals in major events, competing against top sprinters like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah.
💨 Personal Bests
- 100m – 10.72 seconds (2022) – One of the fastest times in African history
- 200m – 22.08 seconds
🏆 Other Notable Achievements
- Multiple gold medals in the African Games and Francophone Games.
- National record holder for Côte d’Ivoire in both 100m and 200m events.
Net Worth
Reigning Diamond League high jump champion Maria Lasitsken, a sanctioned neutral athlete in Russia, has won five of her six events this season.Her 2018 world record of 2.04 meters was set in Paris and London. But there is no exact news about his net.
Personal Life
Vorian sprint queen Marie-Josie Ta Lu tied the knot with her US-based Trinidadian fiance Jay Smith in a traditional African wedding. Ta Lu broke the news on her Instagram, confirming that she got married on November 16. She also ran in the 200m heats. At the end of that summer, She was awarded a 4-year sports scholarship to China by the Ivory Coast Athletics Federation. Her coach, Jeannot Koumé, pushed him to apply for a scholarship, as she saw her potential but felt she would not be able to fulfill it if he stayed in the Ivory Coast.
- Grew up in a modest family in Bouaflé, Ivory Coast.
- Initially wanted to become a medical doctor, and studied pharmacy before fully committing to athletics.
- Was discouraged from athletics in her early years, but defied the odds to become a national hero.
💪 Style & Strength
Marie-Josée is known for her powerful starts and explosive acceleration. Despite her relatively petite frame, she generates remarkable force and maintains form under high pressure. She’s widely respected for her sportsmanship and positive spirit, often seen smiling and encouraging others—even after the most competitive races.
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💬 Motivational Quotes
“It’s not about where you start, it’s about how far you’re willing to go.”
“I run for all the girls in Africa who are told they can’t.”
“Every setback is just a setup for a greater comeback.”
Conclusion
Ta Lou first gave a glimpse of what to expect with her mixed-cultural union when she shared Afro-Caribbean photos from her pre-wedding shoot. The fastest African woman in history is one of the best sprinters in the world and will be aiming for a historic outing at the Paris 2025 Olympic Games where she will aim for her first gold in the sprint double.
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