Unbeknownst to this city, not just a celebrity but a hero graced us with his presence this weekend. Africa's national wrestling heavyweight champion, Mohamed Ndao, came to Kirksville on a request from University Assistant Professor of French Sana Camara. Ndao was invited to America by the New York Senegal Committee. Camara knew the family of Ndao's manager, Alioune Gning, and asked if Gning would bring his family and Ndao for a visit. Neither Ndao nor Gning spoke English.
Wrestling is now the biggest sport in Africa next to soccer.
Full contact tournaments are held every three months and more than 60,000 attend each event. Ndao looks like Shaquille O'Neal at first glance in his Orlando Magic jersey and nylon sport pants. Ndao proved everyone wrong. He would wake up at 5 a.m. and run along the seaside, lift tomato pots weighted down with cement and study the art of wrestling. The work paid off, and Ndao went undefeated in 17 matches spanning two years.