For Wally Ndiaye, that first moment on the water did not arrive with grand declarations. It began quietly, at 11 years old, when a teacher introduced him to the world of paddle sport.
What followed was not immediate glory, but a slow burning commitment to mastering his craft – learning its moods, its rhythms, and its language.
More than a decade later, the boy who first gripped a paddle out of curiosity has become one of the emerging faces of African canoeing.
Born in France and proudly representing Senegal, Ndiaye embodies a generation of athletes redefining what African presence looks like on the international canoeing stage. His path has not been linear. He began racing competitively five years ago, balancing the steep technical demands of elite canoeing with the realities of student life and financial pressure.
Against the continents strongest young paddlers, Ndiaye delivered a breakthrough performance that the African Canoe Slalom Championships in Underberg, South Africa, capturing U23 silver in both kayak slalom and kayak cross. The medals were tangible proof of progress, but they represented far more than podium finishes.
They were confirmation of early mornings on cold water, of technical sessions spent perfecting control, and of the relentless repetition required to perfect two difficult disciplines.
His ambitions now stretch beyond continental competition. In the coming year, he plans to line up at multiple International Canoe Federation events, including the World Championships in Oklahoma, United States and the Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each race another step toward a much larger target.
Ndiaye speaks of his Olympic goal carefully – not as a fantasy, but as something real, something reachable.
“It’s hard to say,” said Ndiaye when asked what qualification would mean. “I will be very proud. The Olympics is a massive thing. It’s truly a dream to go. I have no doubt that I can do it.”
Belief, however, is only one piece of the equation. Elite canoeing is an expensive passion. Travel to training camps, equipment, fees, and transport.
As a student, Ndiaye works alongside his studies to help fund his pursuit of high-performance sport – a balancing act familiar to many emerging athletes.
“I need sponsors, especially to get to the Olympics,” he said. “I need a car; I need to get to camp – it’s difficult without funding.”
Yet even amid financial strain, his perspective remains grounded.
“As much as I want to win, it is not everything,” said Ndiaye. “Relax, focus on yourself, and keep the passion.”
That philosophy has shaped him as much as any medal. Whitewater is unforgiving. It punishes hesitation and rewards clarity. Growth, for Ndiaye, has come not only in physical strength, but in composure – the ability to reset after a poor race, to trust instinct in turbulent water, to carry both ambition and patience at once.
From a schoolboy discovering the thrill of navigating slalom gates to an athlete carrying Senegal’s colours onto continental podiums, his journey is still unfolding.
The current keeps moving and so does Ndiaye. One rapid, one race, and one more medal at a time. He has his sights firmly set on the Olympic Games LA28.
