After 26 years, Serge and his sister Tara Yoro finally visited their father’s home country, Ivory Coast, experiencing the vibrant city of Abidjan and gaining a deeper understanding of their heritage.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch sports news outlet, reported on the family’s recent trip.
The journey to Ivory Coast had been postponed for many years due to safety concerns in the country and the demanding schedules of Serge and Tara, both athletes specializing in different sports. Tara focuses on long jump and the 400 meters, while Serge is known in speed skating circles. Three years ago, the family decided to plan the visit for the summer following the Olympic Games.
Last month, the Yoro family found themselves in Abidjan, a bustling city with approximately six million inhabitants. Even for Serge, who is accustomed to the busy life in Amsterdam, the city was overwhelming. He described feeling overstimulated within two hours due to the abundance of sights, smells, noises, and crowds. The streets were described as chaotic, filled with cars, motorcycles, pedestrians crossing, honking horns, and shouting, which he noted was on a different scale compared to Amsterdam.
Serge’s father, who grew up in Ivory Coast before moving to the Netherlands via Paris in his twenties, took pride in showing his children the environments that shaped him. He guided them through significant places such as the hospital where he was born, his school, the house he lived in, and the area where he played football. Serge expressed that experiencing his father’s culture firsthand allowed him to better understand his background and identity.