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A two-time Olympic athlete mysteriously disappeared in France prompting an urgent search by authorities and growing public concern.
When Beninese track and field star Odile Ahouanwanou failed to return to pick up her child from the childminder’s on September 10 a chilling mystery began to unfold in northern France.
The 33-year-old heptathlon specialist, who has represented Benin at both the London and Tokyo Olympics, was last seen near Neufchâtel-en-Bray.
Her sudden disappearance has left her family, friends, and fans in turmoil as French police continue to search for any clues that could lead to her whereabouts.
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Authorities in France launched an official appeal for witnesses on September 17, appealing to the public for information.
Despite numerous efforts, including questioning witnesses and reviewing Ahouanwanou’s daily routines, her location remains unknown.
While there is no evidence of foul play, the unexplained absence of a beloved athlete has fueled deep concerns, both in France and her home country of Benin.
“Her last location is Neufchâtel-en-Bray. She drives around in a Volkswagen Polo,” said a statement from the French police.
They continue to monitor the situation closely, stressing that no definitive leads have surfaced.
As of September 20, French authorities have registered her in the national wanted persons file, collaborated with phone operators, and even checked hospitals and airlines, all to no avail.
In Benin, the news of Ahouanwanou’s disappearance has sent shockwaves through the nation.
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Spokesperson for the Beninese government Wilfried Houngbédji shared that both their embassy in Paris and French authorities are working tirelessly to locate her.
“Our embassy in Paris is mobilized with the French services, and the Ministry of Sports and Foreign Affairs are monitoring the situation,” Houngbédji said as quoted by a French publication, Banouto.
“We are hopeful that nothing serious has happened to her... I will hope that we will not end up with a definitive disappearance.”
Odile Ahouanwanou, who stands at 1.78 meters, is a celebrated athlete, holding the national heptathlon record for Benin with 6,210 points.
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She finished eighth in the heptathlon at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Qatar, solidifying her position as one of Benin’s premier athletes.
Her accomplishments on the world stage, combined with her deep connection to the local community in Sotteville-lès-Rouen, where she trains, have made her absence all the more heartbreaking.
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Alexis Ragache, the mayor of Sotteville-lès-Rouen, where Ahouanwanou resides, also expressed his distress over her disappearance, urging locals to help.
“Odile Ahouanwanou is a figure of Sotteville life. I invite you to share this appeal for witnesses, let’s put all the chances on our side to find Odile,” Ragache posted on social media.
In the days since her disappearance, friends and colleagues have held onto hope that the heptathlete will be found safe.
For now, her son is under the care of a family friend as the search continues. Despite thorough investigations and searches of her daily patterns, no significant clues have emerged.
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The possibility of a voluntary disappearance has not been ruled out.
“The indications that we received from the French authorities suggest that it was voluntarily that our compatriot disappeared. I prefer to use this word rather than saying disappeared. Because disappearance is still a fairly serious subject in law,” Houngbédji explained, although he remained optimistic about the outcome.
“We will search, explore all the leads until we have the elements that allow us to assess. And I hope that we will find her alive, in good shape, and also determined to go and conquer other medals.”
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