SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - Senegal forward Astou Traore continues to play at her very best no matter her age.

At the age of 35, she runs the floor as if she were a teenager.

She dribbles like a genuine point guard. She rebounds and plays hard defense. She scores so easily that European professional clubs don’t seem to care too much about her age.

And, more importantly, Traore remains as hungry for success as ever.

All these arguments are based on what I have witnessed over the course of the past decade or so.

During the Rio Olympics Women's tournament, for instance, Traore scored a game-high 30 points in a 95-88 defeat to eventual bronze medalist Serbia to become the first African player - since DR Congo's Mwadi Mabika - to hit the 30-point mark at an Olympics tournament.

At the Atlanta Olympics 1996, Mabika - who had a successful WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks - had destroyed China and Korea's defences with 30 points against both teams in a tournament that marked the debut of African teams in the Olympics.

Like it or not, a player's age will always raise questions, good or bad.

Following Senegal's last game in Rio - in which Traore gave Serbia a very hard time - I couldn't resist asking her what the future held for her national team career.

Even though I hadn't mentioned the age factor - because I didn't see why it would be an issue - I felt embarrassed by her response.

"Muy bien, gracias," she replied with a wide smile. (By the way, French-speaker Traore and I always communicate in Spanish).

At the time, Traore - who played a pivotal role in helping Senegal win the FIBA AfroBasket Women 2015 - refused to elaborate on her future plans with the national team but I assumed she left the door open for this year's continental championship in Bamako, Mali.

So, when two months ago Turkish side Galatasaray - a team coached by former Serbia play caller Marina Maljkovic - offered Traore a contract until the end of this season, it spoke volumes about her talents. 

And the 1.85m forward averaging 14.7 points in Galatasaray's three straight wins in this year's EuroCup Women speaks even louder.

When she told Senegal's Basket221.com that her fellow Senegalese should stop worrying about her age and focus on her game, I couldn't agree more.

"Everyone talks about my age in Senegal and it hurts," she said. "It's time for people to stop. Let them watch my performance and stop focusing on my age! In Europe and in other championships, there are players who play until the age of 38 or 40. And they don't care.

"I wish I couldn't talk about my own performances, but you have seen my performance in Rio and I was one of the best Senegalese players. After Rio, some went on TV or radios to talk about me, my age. It's time to stop."

Spain, Belgium, Senegal and Ecuador have been great professional experiences for Traore, but Turkey "is the toughest I ever played" Traore said, before adding that the goal is "to win the league in Turkey, but also reaching the EuroCup Women Final."

I can't blame Traore for her ambition. One thing is for certain, her quality will be needed the FIBA AfroBasket Women.

Julio Chitunda

FIBA

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