Marie-Divine Kouamé.  The young Black French woman 500m WC winner.  She comes across as a bright, healthy, fun person who could be a gift for international track racing, women in the sport and especially Black women.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/who-is-marie-divine-kouame-world-champion-reaches-new-found-fame/

And what struck me in that article  - she grew up in a healthy family, was encouraged by both parents to do sports, started riding at 3!, was recognized with her circle of friends as having potential and invited to join a cycling club.  Apparently without the pressures to become the next big thing and money maker for some promoter but given the tools and opportunities to thrive.  These Worlds happened at her local track.

She comes across to me as a Marianne Vos (in a very different package!).  Started early, loved going fast and beating people (almost always boys) and never falling out of love with riding.  (And had the grace of I presume mostly men who never robbed her of that love.)  She came to the Worlds without huge expectations but watched a friend win the Sprint and just knew she could win her 500.  The photo of her standing on the track, arms outstretched with the French flag in pure exuberance touched my heart.

Here's hoping she has a long, successful career, that she never loses that love and that she can use both to further the sport she loves and bring women and riders of color into it.  (And she gets that many Blacks have physiques that should thrive on the velodrome.)  And thank God she missed the sick eyes of a man like Geneviève Jeanson's coach who completely robbed that love from his gifted charge.