Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith

Gonezie Marie Josée Dominique Ta Lou-Smith (née Ta Lou) (born 18 November 1988) is an Ivorian sprinter competing in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is a two-time World Championships medalist and is the African record holder in the 100 m and 200 m.

After initially taking an interest in association football, Ta Lou-Smith made a successful switch to sprinting in 2008. She made a break through at the 2015 World Championships, making the semi-finals in both the 100 m and 200 m and setting personal bests in both events. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, she placed fourth in both of her specialist events, setting five personal bests throughout the Games. She improved the next year to win her first global medal at the 2017 World Championships, winning silver in the 100 m. She also won bronze in the same event at the 2019 World Championships. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she finished fourth in the 100 m and fifth in the 200 m. One of the most reliable and consistent sprinters, Ta Lou-Smith has also made major global finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Indoors, Ta Lou-Smith won the silver medal in the 60 m at the 2018 World Indoor Championships.

In continental competitions, Ta Lou-Smith has been very successful, winning three gold medals at the African Athletics Championships, in the 200 m in 2016 and 2018, whilst also winning the 100 m in 2018. Meanwhile, at the All-Africa Games, she won gold in the 100 m and 200 m in 2015 and once again in the 100 m in 2019.

Ta Lou-Smith's 100 m personal best of 10.72 s makes her the eighth-fastest woman and fastest African woman of all time. She also has the Ivorian record in the 200 m and the African record in the rarely-run straight 150 m.