In a significant boost to their athletic program, the UTSA Roadrunners have signed Olympian and NCAA Division II National Champion Fatoumata Kabo as part of their track and field expansion, enhancing the team’s sprints and hurdles for the 2024-2025 season, according to the San Antonio Report.
The 22-year-old sprinter, born in Senegal and raised in Carpenedolo, Italy, is currently preparing for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She will compete in the 4x400m relay on August 9 and 10, having achieved a personal best of 52.24 seconds at the Italian Championships, securing her place on the Italian team. Italy is known for its strong presence in international athletics, and with Kabo, they aim to reach new heights.
In an interview with the San Antonio Report, Kabo discussed her training regimen and mental resilience. “I learned that I can be mentally strong, more than I thought. I learned that more than valuing the word ‘motivation,’ I had to focus more on ‘discipline’ because sometimes it happened that I didn’t feel like training but I had to go anyway because it’s my duty and it’s what I need to go strong in competition,” Kabo explained.
Transitioning to life in Texas has been challenging for Kabo. After starting at Angelo State University, she faced an injury and cultural and language barriers that nearly made her quit. “My first semester was tough; I even thought about leaving everything and going back home. As soon as I arrived in Texas, I spent the night at Whataburger; it was cold. I felt abandoned. I didn’t know anyone. There was a very high language barrier, and for the first few periods I hardly spoke to anyone, either at school or during practice (except with my French teammates and the Italian),” Kabo recounted in the San Antonio Report. Despite these difficulties, her determination to honor her scholarship and showcase her talents helped her overcome adversity and gradually embrace life in the U.S.
Joining UTSA opens new opportunities for Kabo, especially with coaches she admires. “The thing I am most excited about is getting to know Coach Jackie [Richards] and Kareem [Streete-Thompson] in person because they made a very good impression on me; they took an interest in me as a person and my family, and that means so much to me. It is a coach-athlete relationship that I like: good communication,” she shared.
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