Conrat Atangana

Conrat Frederic Atangana (born 1987 in Yaounde) is a Paralympian from Cameroon who represented his country at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in powerlifting's men's -56 kg event.

Conrat Atangana

Personal information
Full name	Conrat Frederic Atangana
Nationality	Cameroonian
Born	1987 (age 32–33) Yaounde, Cameroon
Residence	Nantes, France
Weight	56.16 kg (124 lb) (2015)
Sport
Country	Cameroon
Sport	Powerlifting, Athletics, Wheelchair basketball
Disability	Physical disability
Disability class	T53, 3 point player
Event(s)	Men's -53kg, Men's -56kg
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2012
Medal record Powerlifting (-53kg) Representing  Cameroon JAPHAF 2006 -53kg 2007 Nouakchott -53kg 2008 Yaounde -52kg 2009 Niamey -53kg 2011 -53kg Wheelchair basketball Representing  Cameroon JAPHAF 2006 Men's Team 2007 Nouakchott Men's Team 2008 Yaounde Men's Team Track and field Representing  Cameroon JAPHAF 2006 Shot Put Czech Open 2013 Javelin

Atangana has a disability as a result of contracting polio when he was very young. After representing Cameroon internationally, Atangana and two other Cameroonian para-sportspeople went to France where they applied for refugee status. He resides in Nantes, France.

The Cameroon international first got involved with para-sports through sitting volleyball. He moved to Cameroon's capital to train more seriously, switching to powerlifting, wheelchair basketball and athletics. He went on to represent Cameroon in all three sports, including at the 2012 Summer Paralympics where he was his country's first Paralympian ever at the 2012 Games. He has won several medals at the African Francophone Games for the Handicapped.

Personal

Born in 1987 in Yaounde, Atangana contracted polio when he was very young.[1] The illness left him with physical disability that affected his left leg, and he gets around on crutches.[1][2][3] Eventually, Atangana and fellow Cameroonian para-sportspeople Jean Solange Avah Mbida and Herve Ndi decided the problems in Cameroon were too bad, and went to Pas-de-Calais, France as refugees. The group chose the city because Cameroonian football Marc-Vivien Foé was there to aid in their transition.[4] He has two daughters, and lives in Nantes, France.[5]

Sports

Atangana first got involved with sports in 2004, when he started playing sitting volleyball. People suggested he move to Cameroon's capital to train more seriously in sitting volleyball.[1] Doing this, he then went on to compete at the 2006 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped, representing Cameroon as a member of the national wheelchair basketball team and competing in powerlifting, picking up gold medals in both sports.[1] After representing Cameroon internationally in powerlifting, athletics and wheelchair basketball, he went to France as a refugee where he continued to be involved in all three sports.[4]

Powerlifting

Atangana competed at the 2006 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped (French: Jeux de l'Avenir des personnes handicapées d'Afrique francophone (JAPHAF)), where he won a gold medal in powerlifting.[1] He was back again for the 2007 edition in Nouakchott, Mauritania, the 2009 edition in Niamey, Niger and the 2011 edition in Yaoundé where he won gold each time.[1] He participated in the 2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped, winning gold in the men's -52 kg event with a lift of 140 kg.[6] Five Cameroonian powerlifters competed in the 2011 IPC Fazza Powerlifting-Dubai, with Atangana ultimately earning a qualifying berth for London following the competition.[7][8] At a 2012 IPC Powerlifting event in Dubai, he managed a lift of 160 kg.[1]

Atangana was still involved with the sport following the 2012 Games, competing in the first ranking competition for the 2016 Summer Paralympics, an event in September 2015 in Brazzaville, Congo. He finished third in the -59 kg class with a best lift of 160 kg.[9][10][11][12] He finished 2015 being ranked nineteenth in the world in the men's -59 kg class with a season best lift of 160 kg.[13] He was unranked in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.[14][15][16][17][18]

Paralympics

See also: Cameroon at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Atangana was the country's sole representative at the 2012 Games where the country made its Paralympic debut. Competing in powerlifting's men's -56 kg event in London, Atangana finished ninth in an eleven deep field, with a best lift of 155 kg.[3][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Atangana was the country's flag bearer for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Games.[27][28] Atangana said he planned to return home after the Games, with no intention of fleeing like his 2012 Olympic colleagues did.[29]

Prior to the start of the London Games, the Cameroon delegation was at the University of Bath from August 15 to August 19. There, Atangana and seven other Cameroon para-powerlifters worked with international trainers to recalibrate their form for competition as Cameroon lacked the technical knowledge to provide adequate coaching in country.[26] Funding problems for the Cameroon delegation were the major reason that Atangana was the country's sole representative in London. Getting access to funds to compete in London as easier as he was based in Nantes, France.[1][4][5][30][31]

Athletics

Atangana is a T53/F53 classified athlete.[32] Participating at the 2007 Algerian Games (French: Jeux d'Alger), he had a fourth-place finish in the shot put. Competing at the home hosted 2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped, he won a silver medal in the shot put.[32] Cameroon sent a delegation to the 2013 Czech Open. Atangana won a bronze medal at the competition in the javelin.[33] Atangana also competed at the 2014 Paris Seine-S Paralympic Athletics Meeting, finishing 6th in the javelin event with a throw of 17.93 meters and sixth in the shot put with a throw of 6.81 meters.[34]

Wheelchair basketball

A 3.5 point player,[32] Atangana has made multiple appearances for the Cameroon men's national team. He competed at the 2006 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped as a member of the Cameroon national team. His team took home a gold medal.[1][32] He replicated this accomplishment at the 2007 and 2008 editions.[32] He was part of the Cameroon squad at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algeria.[35]

References

1. "Paralimpiadi 2012 - Camerun, un atleta a Londra. "Un lusso anche una carrozzina di seconda mano"". SuperAbile INAIL (in Italian). September 4, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
2. Effoudou, Marthe Noelle; Ngounou d'Halluin, Ingrid Alice (August 29, 2012). "Jeux paralympiques: Londres de nouveau en fête". Journal Du Cameroun.com (in French). Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
3. Didier, Arthur (August 24, 2012). "Le continent africain, en retard sur les Paralympiques". vivre fm. vivre fm. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
4. "Poser un autre regard sur le handicap — Site de Méricourt". Méricourt (in French). Retrieved October 9, 2016.
5. "Athlete Bio". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
6. "Athlétisme — Jeux paralympiques 2008 : Doutes sur la participation camerounaise". Mboa.info (in French). Mboa.info. August 5, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
7. "Notre Organisation — International Paralympic Committee". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC). 2016. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
8. CNPC (2013). "Plan Strategique 2013-2016 du Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC)". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 2016-03-29. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
9. "Powerlifters off to Brazil". Press Reader. DFA. January 13, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
10. "Powerlifting world records set in Brazzaville". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
11. "AfPC2015". Bench Press Champion. September 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
12. Kuwa (September 17, 2015). "AllAfricaGames: Mu guterura no gutera intosho u Rwanda rwabuze umudari". UMUSEKE (in French). Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
13. "World Rankings — Powerlifting". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
14. "World Rankings — Powerlifting". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
15. "World Rankings — Powerlifting - 2013". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
16. "World Rankings — Powerlifting - 2011". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
17. "World Rankings — Powerlifting - 2010". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
18. "World Rankings — Powerlifting - 2009". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
19. "Paralympic Results & Historical Records". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
20. "Cameroon Paralympics — Rio 2016 Medals, Athletes & News". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. September 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
21. "14 countries to make Paralympic debuts". International Paralympic Committee. August 30, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
22. Remadji, Victoria (September 9, 2016). "Brésil: le Cameroun aligne un athlète aux Jeux paralympiques". Cameroun Link (in French). Retrieved October 7, 2016.
23. Remadji, Victoria (September 9, 2016). "Brésil: le Cameroun aligne un athlète aux Jeux paralympiques". CRTV (in French). CRTV. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
24. Dango, Kevin (September 12, 2016). "Jeux Paralympiques Christian Gobe Represente Le Cameroun A Rio — Sport — Cirics". CIRICS (Cameroun-Italie-Ressources-Intégration-Culture-Solidarité) (in French). CIRICS (Cameroun-Italie-Ressources-Intégration-Culture-Solidarité). Retrieved October 8, 2016.
25. Ngouéka, Ludovic (September 8, 2016). "Christian Gobe : L'ambassadeur du Vert-rouge-jaune — News du Cameroun — Toute l'information du Cameroun en continu". News du Cameroun (in French). Retrieved October 8, 2016.
26. Tchapmi, Christian (August 17, 2012). "Jeux paralympiques. Vers une nouvelle participation foireuse du Cameroun". Cameroon Voice (in French). Le Messager. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
27. "List of Opening Ceremony flag bearers". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. August 29, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
28. Ouafy, Matcheu (August 27, 2012). "Jeux Olympiques — Le Cameroun représenté aux Jeux paralympiques". Mboa.info. Mboa.info. Archived from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
29. Buijs, Jan Willem (June 5, 2016). "94 dagen tot Rio 2016: Paralympische sport in Kameroen". Para Sport Report (in Dutch). Retrieved October 9, 2016.
30. "Le notizie della settimana dal 3 al 7 settembre 2012". Caritas Diocesana Vicenza (in Italian). Caritas Diocesana Vicenza. September 3, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
31. "Camerun, un atleta a Londra. "Un lusso anche una carrozzina di seconda mano"". Redattore Sociale (in Italian). Redattore Sociale. September 3, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
32. "Programme d'insertion sociale du groupe dynamique de sportifs handicapés du Cameroun" (PDF). Impact Sud (in French). Impact Sud. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
33. Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (2016). "Centre de Presse". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
34. "Profil de Conrat frederic ATANGANA". Coachapied.com (in French). Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
35. Mutations (2007). "Le Portail du Cameroun". Cameroon-Info.Net (in French). Mutations. Retrieved October 9, 2016.

External links

• Conrat Frederic Atangana at the International Paralympic Committee (also here)