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Cheick Sallah Cisse: ‘I am Not Afraid of Anybody’
Born in the town of Bouake, but now resident in Cote d’Ivoire’s capital of Abaijan, Cisse, 22, started martial arts with karate at the age of 5. When he moved to the capital at age 8, he switched styles to taekwondo. The rest is history.
He lists his three major competitive achievements as a gold medal at the Moscow Grand Prix Series 1, gold at the Brazzaville African Games 2015, and silver at the 2015 World Universiade in Gwangju, Korea. A consistent fighter, he has also medaled at the Samsun, Turkey and Manchester, UK, Grand Prix events.
Asked to list his key strengths he puts spirit at top. “I am not afraid of anyone,” he said. As regards physical attributes, he said, “I have the prototypical physique of the new style: good flexibility and good height.”
An electrical engineering major, Cisse has currently suspended his studies to prepare for the Olympics. After Mexico City, his first step on the road to Rio is recuperation.
“I am going to rest as I had to give a lot of fights this year – too many,” he said. Indeed, many athletes comment on 2015’s grueling competitive schedule: After the May World Championships, the four-series Grand Prix took place in the year’s second half.
Cisse faced a particularly diabolical schedule in September. After winning the African Games title in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo, which ended on September 19, he jumped on a flight to Samsun, Turkey, to fight in the Grand Prix Series 2. He made it through to the final – also on September 19. There, he fought through to the finals, but after stalking on to the mats to face Iran’s Mahdi “The Terminator” he declared – to the astonishment of the crowd – “No mas.”
“What happened was, I was coming from African Games. I travelled and just weighed in and fought,” he recalled. “I was too tired and I had too many bruises to fight Khodabakhshi. I was in the final – but I stopped.”
After resting following a torrid 2015, the next step for Cisse is analysis. “We are going to analyze everything that happened, then make assessments, then plan, then go back to do some fighting,’” said Cisse’s coach, Attada Tadjou.
Cisse himself said he has no concerns. “I am not worried, I have a chance,” he said. “When I came here, my strategy did not work, but I have plenty of time to make some adjustments.”
As far as Cisse’s own analysis goes, he is respectful about his potential competitors in Rio. “Aaron Cook’s game is different to other people’s, he uses a dynamic style, not just in profile with the front leg,” he said. “I like his game – he did not change. He is a good fighter.”
Regarding Iran’s Mahdi Khodabashkhi, he said, “He is very good: I have never fought him … (but) he is not dangerous to me.”
As for Russia’s Albert Gaun, he said, “I beat him by 12 points in the Moscow Grand Prix, but he is good as well – he has his flavor.”
And what of Cisse himself? “He loves training – anytime, anywhere – and he has a winning spirit,” said Tadjou. “Sometimes he wants to do his own thing, but is very coachable – he is a dream for a coach.”
His student’s dream is simple: “Olympic gold.”
Source: WTF
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