Benin: Premya Wankoun, from Taekwondo to African MMA Gold

At 23, Beninese athlete Premya Wankoun won gold in the under-73 kg category at the 2026 GAMMA African MMA Championships in Abidjan. She began practicing taekwondo at age 10 and has trained in MMA for two years; at the 2025 World MMA Championships in Brazil, she won two medals, including silver. Wankoun says martial arts helped her rebuild after her mother’s death, and she balances MMA with yoga and dance. She holds a master’s degree in project management and quality management and advocates for greater representation of women in sports.