Here is a documentary about the 2006 World Champion in the 69kg category, Vencelas Dabaya.
It follows him on a visit to Cameroon, where he began his weightlifting career.
And you know which gym he visits? That’s right, the now infamous Makeshift Platform gym.
The whole thing is en français, but you can get a good idea of what is happening just from the visuals.
If you happen to speak French and find interesting tidbits, please share them in the comments.
Update: Thanks to JT who provided a summary.
In the first few minutes he talks about how after watching the 1992 Olympics he decided he wanted to train to be the strongest man in the world, to the dismay of his parents. As his father was dying, he promised him he would wear the name Dabaya when becoming world champion, which of course he did. He says being strong is a huge badge of honour and source of pride for every men in Cameroon.
Once in Yaoundé, he recalls how as a kid he would sneak through a hole in the wall so he could see the men train. From the small bits we hear him talking to other lifters, I get the feeling he’d be a decent coach. The guy we see at 6:25 finished third in Africa in the 105kg, and they decide to have a C&J competition the next day. That leads to a discussion in which Dabaya bemoans that poor life habits (particularly alcohol use) stunt the development of Cameroon’s weightlifters.
Before the C&J challenge, he explains that Weightlifting is hugely popular in Cameroon, second only to soccer. He says the city is packed with little rudimentary gyms. The sport is very much alive in the country and an endless source of pride, since about 80% of Olympic medals won by African countries are won by Cameroon.
The coach you see at 10:24 is the national team coach. The young kid struggling to compete the C&J at 10:58 is challenged by Dabaya, who promises him 1000 CFA if he makes it in under three attempts.
At 13:32 he explains why he moved away from Cameroon. He had realized his skills had outgrown the place and was scouted by the father of his coach in the video. He moved to a small village in France, eventually becoming a French citizen.
His coach then explains that Dabaya’s weakness is the snatch. Not in terms of strenght or ability, but because he is struggling mentally with the 150kg barrier. He is seeing a sports psychologist to deal with the issue.
We then see him in Tehran for a small tournament. There, he refuses to walk the 500m to the stadium, instead prefering to wait 30 minutes in the cold for the bus. He bombs at the snatch, and finishes 2nd at the tournament.
In the closing moment, as cool already pointed out, he declares : “I don’t care who’s going to be at Beijing. I’m not going to TRY for the podium. I AM going to BE on the podium at Beijing.”
Kublaire commented that
around 5min in he mentions that “in France they have chalk, but in Cameroon they just use dirt, and that its been that way for a while.”
Thanks to reader Tom who dug it up and posted this video in the comments of the Re: Makeshift Platform post.
It’s getting late so I’ll finish watching it tomorrow, but he comes across as a very humble and interesting guy. In the first few minutes he talks about how after watching the 1992 Olympics he decided he wanted to train to be the strongest man in the world, to the dismay of his parents. As his father was dying, he promised him he would wear the name Dabaya when becoming world champion, which of course he did. He says being strong is a huge badge of honour and source of pride for every men in Cameroon.
Once in Yaoundé, he recalls how as a kid he would sneak through a hole in the wall so he could see the men train. From the small bits we hear him talking to other lifters, I get the feeling he’d be a decent coach. The guy we see at 6:25 finished third in Africa in the 105kg, and they decide to have a C&J competition the next day. That leads to a discussion in which Dabaya bemoans that poor life habits (particularly alcohol use) stunt the development of Cameroon’s weightlifters.
I’ll translate the rest tomorrow.
Thanks JT, adding it to the post.
“I don’t care who’s going to be at Beijing. I’m not going to TRY for the podium. I AM going to BE on the podium at Beijing.”
Ok here’s the second part :
Before the C&J challenge, he explains that WL is hugely popular in Cameroon, second only to soccer. He says the city is packed with little rudimentary gyms. The sport is very much alive in the country and an endless source of pride, since about 80% of OL medals won by African countries are won by Cameroon.
The coach you see at 10:24 is the national team coach. The young kid struggling to compete the C&J at 10:58 is challenged by Dabaya, who promises him 1000 CFA if he makes it in under three attempts.
At 13:32 he explains why he moved away from Cameroon. He had realized his skills had outgrown the place and was scouted by the father of his coach in the video. He moved to a small village in France, eventually becoming a French citizen.
His coach then explains that Dabaya’s weakness is the snatch. Not in terms of strenght or ability, but because he is struggling mentally with the 150kg barrier. He is seeing a sports psychologist to deal with the issue.
We then see him in Tehran for a small tournament. There, he refuses to walk the 500m to the stadium, instead prefering to wait 30 minutes in the cold for the bus. He bombs at the snatch, and finishes 2nd at the tournament.
In the closing moment, as cool already pointed out, he declares : “I don’t care who’s going to be at Beijing. I’m not going to TRY for the podium. I AM going to BE on the podium at Beijing.”
Thanks buddy!
The intro is sick. I wonder what the title of the song is.
He didn’t actually bomb in the snatch in the tournament. He made his 1st at 140 then missed 145 twice.
Franz felicite is hyooge
around 5min in he mentions that “in France they have chalk, but in Cameroon they just use dirt, and that its been that way for a while.” I thought that was a pretty cool quote
Any new link?
Very interesting documentary, it´s amazing to see the conditions people in Cameroon live and train in but yet seem to be full of positive energy. Makes me, an oversaturated European, take a step back and think for a while…